Snippets
by thearendork
Summary: This is a fanfic of a fanfic. Or to be more formal about it, a sidestory to JEGlass's For the First Time in Never. Please read that first before this. For the First Time in Never is highly recommended. Cover art done by Mike (migz8793 on Tumblr).
1. Doodles

_When JEGlass, author of the awesome, wonderful fanfic titled For the First Time in Never which this one-shot is based on, mentioned that a very talented fanartist agreed to draw her OC Revel, I saw him in my mind's eye clearly drawn. Alas, even my stick figures are horrible, so to blow off steam while waiting for Chapter 17 to be posted, I wrote this. I have obtained JEGlass's blessing to post this, and I hope you guys like it. Please tell me if I did Revel justice or not._

_(Psst…see what you've done to me? You had me writing fanfic for your fanfic because I'm getting antsy waiting for Chapter 17. Also, this version is more cleaned up and tweaked compared to the one I sent you.)_

* * *

Captain Revel Handler prided himself on being punctual. As far as he can recall, he had never been late to a meeting with the queen. However, on this particular day, it seemed that his luck had finally run out.

He was thirty minutes late.

_Shit and damnation, Sigmund. Why did you have to drag me all the way to the wharf?_ _You could've taken care of it easily,_ he cursed his lieutenant silently.

Oh, he could just imagine the sort of grief Queen Elsa would give him. She was a stickler for punctuality herself, even moreso than him. In all the years he had served the Arendellian royal family, she had never been late to a meeting, as far as he knew.

Ever.

Hell, even being a minute shy of arriving on time had her left eyebrow twitching ever so slightly in annoyance. That had been a week ago, the latest he had been for a meeting with her before this happened.

A week since they had reached an understanding about their feelings toward one another.

They were lovers and equals in the privacy of his bedchambers, but outside of that she was still his queen and superior, and thus it wouldn't do to displease her by flouting her rules. As such, Revel took a deep breath as he reached for the ornate brass handle of the door to Elsa's study. All sorts of excuses flew around in his brain as the door slowly opened. _I was out patrolling and lost track of time. I had to go over the inventory of weapons. I—_

His heart stopped at the sight of his beloved slumped over her desk, unmoving.

"Elsa!"

Everything was rather a blur after that. And quite cold.

Because apparently, nothing untoward had happened to the queen—she was just enjoying a catnap before her meeting with her Captain of the Guard regarding matters about the Spring Trade Summit started. But his shout of alarm had brought about quite a rude awakening, which caused ice to bloom at her feet when she stood up, blindly waving her arms at an unseen attacker.

"Wh-who goes there?! Show yourself!"

"Elsa! It's me. Revel." He grabbed her flailing arms and pushed them down as she fixed him with a blue stare that still bore traces of sleep.

"Huh? Wait, what?"

"Revel, Majesty. Captain Revel Handler of the Queen's Guard. We have a meeting," he confirmed, feeling a smile creeping on his face at Elsa's befuddled state. He had not let her go yet, as he was captivated by the sight of her eyes softening with affection as she recognized him.

"Of course. My apologies, Captain. However," she glanced at the grandfather clock behind him, and the softness of her eyes changed into chips of blue ice when she saw that their meeting should have started half an hour ago. "You're late."

Revel let her go then, stepping back to bow his head contritely. "My apologies, Majesty. I have no excuse for being late. I simply lost track of time."

"Doing what?"

"Patrolling."

His queen gave a delicate sniff. "Likely story," she scoffed, waving the ice away. Revel decided it was time to do some damage control.

"Ah, but while I was out risking life and limb patrolling the streets of Arendelle to ensure the safety of its citizens, my thoughts are filled with you, Elsa, queen of my heart," he said, placing a hand over his chest, delivering the line like a bad actor. He hoped to make her crack a smile at his antics, but Elsa was unmoved, her regal mask firmly in place.

"Right," she deadpanned. "Well, you're late enough as it is. Sit down, Captain. We have much to discuss." She stepped away from him and sat down at her great oaken desk, which had stacks of paperwork on it. Revel tried to keep himself from wincing in sympathy.

_Well, I tried,_ he shrugged inwardly. He made a mental note to make it up to her later tonight. Being a huge stickler for time was simply one of Elsa's quirks. However, he couldn't just shrug off the sight of her slumped over her desk. He glanced behind him to make they were alone and that the door was not left ajar.

"Before we do, are you alright? You gave me a fright when I saw you slumped over your desk," he said, taking a seat as well.

Elsa sighed, rubbing her right temple. "I was sleepy and since you weren't here yet, I thought to close my eyes for a bit. Next thing I knew, you were in front of me looking scared. Sorry about that."

Revel raised an eyebrow. "You should be getting enough sleep," he chided lightly.

"And who kept me awake last night?" she retorted archly, raising an eyebrow as well. Revel couldn't help but smirk as he recalled the pleasures they had shared.

"I did, and you'd best not forget it," he replied, knowing that desire for her burned in his eyes. Elsa's calm façade didn't crack, but he could see her pale throat working as she swallowed nervously.

"You'd best remember your place, Captain," she snapped, all regal hauteur on the surface. But there was a spark of invitation and playfulness in her eyes that belied her disdain. A small part of him raged at the injustice of sneaking around to be with his lover, but he shunted that aside to play her game.

"Really, now? And where would it be, Your Majesty? Under you? Or perhaps on top of you?" he drawled slyly, leaning toward her. Elsa's mask slipped; need and uncertainty warred within her eyes. To convince her, he reached for her hand and began circling her knuckles lazily with his thumb. Satisfaction surged through Revel when need won, which made her blue gaze darken.

"I…" Elsa trailed off as Revel stood up and went to her, a predatory glint in his green eyes. Without preamble, he took her into his arms and kissed her, tracing his tongue over the seam of her mouth for her to let him in. She did, and he plunged in greedily, his tongue mating with hers, grinding his hardness against her inviting heat. He hauled her up to her desk, and she responded by wrapping her legs around his waist.

"Well?" he growled into her ear, nibbling on her earlobe gently. "Where is my place, Majesty? Tell me," Revel commanded, his hand creeping up her skirt to caress her leg, which made her tremble. He glanced at his left to surreptitiously check if there are any breakable items nearby—he wanted to sweep his hand over her desk to lay her over it and sate their mutual craving for each other.

But something caught his eye. It was a drawing, which he would have ignored under the circumstances, had it not been of a man's torso.

Revel broke away from Elsa, frowning with curiosity. "What's this?" he asked, picking the drawing up. Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to answer him. By then, he had already stepped away to inspect the drawing more closely.

Revel felt his breath knocked out of him as he got a good, long look.

It was a drawing of him. Or drawings rather, when he rifled through the other papers on her desk. They were drawings of him in various poses and states of dress (or undress, in some cases—he couldn't help but notice a number of them were of him without a stitch of clothing, though it was either artfully shadowed or his back was turned). Revel heard Elsa squeak as she covered her face in embarrassment.

He turned to see her peeking at him from behind her hands. She sighed and lowered her hands to her lap, biting her lip.

"I miss you during the day," she muttered, unable to look at him in the eye. "Besides, meetings and going over budgets are dead boring."

"I can sympathize," Revel found himself answering, still stunned at what he discovered. Elsa had drawn him with an artist's expertise and a lover's eye. Some of the drawings were from her perspective—he saw one that he guessed was when they had danced at the Yule Ball. She had captured the spark of excitement in his eyes and bright grin perfectly. Another was of him with his naked back turned as he looked outside the window—he could see the play of muscles in every pencil stroke.

The most arresting was that of his smiling face, radiating all the love he felt for her.

Revel was surprised to feel humbled by his discovery. He expected to feel pride. This was perhaps the closest Elsa could express her feelings for him openly, through art.

"Keep them," Elsa said, sliding off her desk to gather up the other drawings. "I suppose I shouldn't since someone might discover them." She opened a drawer to retrieve a leather envelope.

"Thank you," Revel whispered, coming up behind her to wrap his arms around her waist. "These are beautiful. Well, not to say that I'm beautiful, but you know…you made me look better than usual."

"Because that's how I see you, Revel," Elsa said simply, turning around to embrace him with one arm. "You are the most beautiful soul I know, and I just expressed it on paper." She reached out and ran her fingertips along his jaw tenderly.

He didn't think his heart could take any more shocks. _A beautiful soul…?_ He leaned into her touch when her hand opened to cup the side of his face, her thumb stroking his cheekbone.

The lovers gazed at one another, drinking in each other's features right at this moment in time. Revel couldn't claim to be as good an artist as Elsa, but he memorized her face, certain that it will remain stamped clearly in his mind even when he grew old. If he grew old. He was living on borrowed time, and at the back of his mind he knew his past would catch up with him sooner or later. He loved her deeply, and no matter what the future held, she will remain the greatest and last love of his life.

The grandfather clock chimed the hour, making Elsa and Revel step apart to make themselves more presentable. Elsa had another meeting in ten minutes, and it wouldn't do at all for them to be discovered.

"We never did get to have our meeting." She ruefully observed her once immaculate and now cluttered desk. Revel shot her a look that was both sheepish and smoldering, which had her clearing her throat. "I wanted to talk to you about the guard placement in the city square, but I suppose it can wait a day or two."

He found her nervousness adorable, making him want to continue their earlier activities. However, he managed to find the strength to control himself and help her straighten her desk.

"I'll see you tonight, then?" Revel asked after they cleaned the mess they made, bringing Elsa's hand to his lips to brush a light kiss on her knuckles.

"Yes, tonight. And don't be late," she admonished him, poking a finger on his chest. "You know I hate tardiness."

"Of course, Your Majesty." Elsa handed him her drawings, which she had tucked carefully into the leather envelope she got out earlier. She bit her lip, appearing to want to say something but decided to keep quiet, which piqued his curiosity.

"Something wrong?"

Elsa took a deep breath, marshaling her courage. "When you asked me where your place was," she began, blushing, "I...well..." she faltered before meeting his gaze head on. "I was thinking I'd like you by my side. As much as possible, anyway."

Revel smiled, tucking a lock of wayward blonde hair back. "Always, Elsa," he murmured. She closed her eyes, savoring his gentle, loving touch when it lingered on her cheek.

Slipping back into their roles as queen and captain with some difficulty, he bowed just as her next appointment knocked on her door. It was Kai, and he was there to discuss the expenditures for the Spring Trade Summit so far.

"Please sit down, Kai," Elsa invited the manservant just as Revel shut the door behind him. He leaned against it, tucking the envelope to his chest as if to keep it from prying eyes.

His relationship with Elsa will have to be another secret among the many he kept. But oh, how he wished he could shout his love for her from the castle rooftops.

_Treasure it while it lasts, and always remember it when it ends._ With that last, sobering thought, Revel straightened and started off to his quarters to hide the precious keepsake Elsa had given him.

_I love you, Elsa._


	2. Chocolates

Young Prince Revel Handler Sperezei was bored out of his skull.

He didn't think that visiting another country would be so boring. He had pleaded, cajoled, negotiated, and finally bawled to get his father to bring him along to the annual Spring Trade Summit, which was in Arendelle. He thought it would be exciting—it was his first trip abroad!

"I'm twelve years old, Father," he declared in his piping voice confidently. "I can handle it."

But he didn't count on was seasickness. The hours he spent retching in his little room on the ship was something he wouldn't wish on his older brother Prince Adrek, who was a pain in the arse sometimes. He cheered himself up with the thought that Arendelle might be fun. During his lucid moments, his father told him that Arendelle was home to Europe's best chocolate, and that it had two young princesses aged seven and four years old respectively. He wasn't interested in the princesses (in fact, he hoped to avoid them since they were rather young and would probably be pests), but the former had cheered him up considerably. Chocolate was always a good thing, even for a boy on the cusp of young manhood.

But no, apparently fate had other plans for him. Once they had arrived in Arendelle and were lodged comfortably in the castle, his father and older brother began conducting their business, leaving him alone.

"Arendelle sucks," Revel mumbled as he wandered the castle halls. "Father couldn't even bring me chocolate because he's busy with 'business'," he scowled, making air quotes.

"Arendelle does not suck!" a voice behind him cried out defiantly. Startled, he spun around to see a young girl with platinum blonde hair and glaring blue eyes, her hands on her hips, her bottom lip jutting out in a pout. "You take that back!"

"Oh yeah? Why'd you say that?" he countered.

"Because I said so. I am Princess Elsa of Arendelle, and it is my kingdom that you're insulting, you…you…meanie!" She stamped her foot for emphasis. He blinked—did frost just come out of her feet?

No matter. Oh, boy. Curse his rotten luck, he just had to insult the daughter of their hosts. As much as he wanted to argue with her—he was practically spoiling for a fight just to make things interesting, and he had planned to pick one with Adrek. However, picking one with a seven-year-old was just sad. The prince could practically hear his father admonishing him that he was old enough to know the best course of action: apologize. But oh, pride can be such a jagged little pill to swallow.

He managed to do just that and forced himself to bow before the young princess of Arendelle. "My apologies, Princess Elsa," he said stiffly through slightly gritted teeth. "I think you caught me at a bad time."

Princess Elsa tilted her head curiously, her anger forgotten. "Bad time?" she echoed.

"I was told Arendelle had the best chocolate, and I've yet to find out," he admitted, wincing inwardly at how childish it sounded. He had always believed that honesty was the best policy, but blurting the first thing that came to mind had gotten him in trouble in the past. Plus, admitting that just didn't sound cool.

It didn't look like it mattered to the young princess, though. "Well, why didn't you say so?" she asked, grabbing his hand. "Come on, I know just the place to get it."

Revel allowed himself to be dragged by Princess Elsa for a minute, until he fell into step beside her. Even then, he didn't let go of her hand, which felt strangely cool to the touch. He observed her determined expression with growing amusement, interested at where things are headed. "Where are we going?" he ventured, raising an eyebrow.

"Kitchen cellar. That's where Gerda keeps the best stuff."

"Gerda?"

"Head housekeeper. Don't worry, we won't get into trouble. She's with Anna right now."

"And who is Anna?"

"My sister. It's her naptime," she explained. "Anna's pretty hard to put to sleep, so we've got time to raid the best stuff."

"Raiding? That doesn't sound like something a princess should do," he said skeptically. Princess Elsa waved a hand in dismissal.

"You'll see what I mean once you taste it. Besides, you insulted my country's honor. You're going to eat your words, with the best chocolate you've ever tasted," she promised, tightening her grip on his hand as she continued to drag him with her.

"Hey, I already apologized," he protested as they descended what looked like the servants' stairs. He almost ran into her when she suddenly stopped and shushed him. She peeked from the corner and he mimicked her action, craning his neck to see a servant going out of the kitchen.

"Okay, coast is clear. Move!" She pulled him along with her, grabbing the keys that hung nearby to what he assumed was the kitchen cellar. Working quickly, she unlocked a door and shoved him inside before closing it behind her.

"So…this is where Gerda keeps the best stuff?" Revel asked, looking around. The kitchen cellar wasn't anything special—it was a large, cool, dry room, with windows at the top to let sunlight in. Foodstuffs were arranged neatly in shelves and cabinets, and there was a large table in the middle. A beam of sunlight poured in from the windows, illuminating the dust motes dancing lazily in the air.

It suddenly occurred to him that Elsa was gone from his side. "Princess Elsa?" he called out, his eyes darting around for any sign of platinum blonde hair. "Where are you?"

"Here!" She popped up from behind one of the shelves, her arms laden with boxes. He met her at the table where she laid out the boxes neatly with a flourish. "I give you the best chocolates in the entire world: Elizabeth's Arendellian Chocolate Truffles."

"Elizabeth?" Without much ceremony, Revel ripped a box open and pulled out the goods. The rich scent of chocolate wafted up his nose, and he breathed it in appreciatively. Oh yeah, Elsa was right—this is the good stuff. But he could see Elsa frowning at him from the corner of his eye. "What?"

"You're leaving a mess," she pointed out. Revel suppressed a chuckle, popping a truffle into his mouth. For such an adventurous little girl, it looked like she was a stickler for neatness. She still managed to look immaculate despite the shenanigans she just pulled. He had no trouble believing she could get away with anything with that ability. "Fworry," he mumbled, his mouth full of chocolatey goodness. "Oh wow—you're right, this is good," he admitted, swallowing. "With chocolate this good, I have no problem taking back what I said about Arendelle."

"Told you so," Elsa said smugly in a sing-song voice. Revel couldn't help but think how cute she looked, grinning at him crookedly. Her mischievous expression made him wonder what sort of sister she was—once her younger sister got a little older, Elsa'll probably get them into stuff like this, he mused, popping another truffle in his mouth.

"Oh yeah, you never told me your name," Elsa prompted him, daintily biting into a chocolate bar.

"Sorry." Clearing his throat, Revel stood up and bowed the way his tutor had drilled him. "Prince Revel of Asham, at your service, Your Highness."

Elsa giggled at his show of gallantry. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Prince Revel," she returned, standing up to dip into a perfect little curtsy. He laughed at the sight of the prim and proper little princess who stood before him now—such a marked contrast from the hoyden that dragged him in the kitchen cellar to raid for chocolate. "What's so funny?" she asked.

"Nothing," he denied. Elsa raised an eyebrow at him, making him laugh harder. "I'm laughing because I had fun with you today, Elsa," Revel assured her, still smiling slightly. "Arendelle doesn't suck—not with you in it."

Elsa nodded sagely. "Of course," she agreed. "Why are you here, anyway?"

"Well…" With that he launched into a retelling of how terrible the journey to Arendelle was for him. Elsa made a face in sympathy when he mentioned how seasick he was.

"Ships don't sound fun. I'm never getting on a ship," she declared as she cleared away the boxes from the table, dumping them behind a dark corner. Revel shook his head.

"When you become queen, you might have to. It'll be part of your duty to meet with other rulers to trade and stuff," he pointed out.

"Well, I—" she cut herself off at the sound of faint voices from the other side of the kitchen cellar door. "Uh-oh. We'd better hide," Elsa said, grabbing his hand. She dragged him behind a shelf near the stairs as the door opened, and a woman of late middle age came in, mumbling something. "Come on, let's go!" she hissed, darting toward the door quickly. Revel had no trouble keeping up with her since he had longer legs, but he was hard-pressed to follow her—she was really light on her feet.

They retraced their steps back to the hallway where they first met. "Whew, that was close," Elsa breathed, sagging against the wall and fanning herself with her hand. Revel thought it was weird—her bangs were moving, as if her hand really was generating wind. _Must be wind from an open window,_ he thought. It was still strange though—he didn't feel any wind at all. Putting that out of his mind, he smiled at her and nodded.

"That was fun, Princess Elsa. Thanks," he said, grinning at her widely. He had no doubt she will become a great queen someday. She was cunning and resourceful, and she had no problem at all making him her co-conspirator in their recent adventure. That meant people will undoubtedly be loyal to her.

"No problem. Just be sure to tell your friends about Arendelle, okay? It doesn't suck," Elsa said, poking a finger on his chest.

"Deal."


	3. Touch

A soft, whistling sound brought Elsa from the murky depths of slumber. As her mind cleared away the bleariness of sleep, she became aware of a heavy arm draped over her midsection and a warm, solid presence against her back. She was confused for a second before realizing it was her lover that held her prisoner in his arms.

As always, the thought of Revel brought a smile on Elsa's lips. Not wishing to wake him up—he was a light sleeper, as she had learned—she closed her eyes and savored his warmth, unable to keep a very quiet purr of contentment from escaping from her throat.

Which, unfortunately, woke him up.

Elsa knew, because she felt his arm flex against her middle minutely. _Amazing how incredibly attuned I am to him,_ she realized. Then again, they were wrapped up against each other. "I know you're awake," she said, twisting around to face him. Revel kept his eyes closed but the corner of his mouth twitched in a slight smile.

"Don' wanna open my eyes," he mumbled, burrowing closer to her and entwining his legs around hers. A deep rumble vibrated from his chest when he buried his nose in her neck. "Hmm…you smell nice," he sighed, his thumb stroking circles on her back. Elsa shivered at the closeness—it amazed her just how comfortable his touch felt against her skin, considering how jumpy she had been at the slightest human contact. She never thought she would be this close with another, the length of his entire body against hers, their breaths intermingling. The moonlight streaming through the open window cast a pale light over his features—she could see how relaxed his brows were, which were furrowed at times during the day, the thick, dark eyelashes that framed the bright green eyes behind his closed lids, the slight bump on his aquiline nose (similar to her father's, but not as prominent as his, thankfully), and the stubble that was beginning to grow over his upper lip, cheeks, and chin. She reached out and traced his brows with her fingertips, down over his nose, before cupping his rough cheek with her palm. Revel's eyes opened at her gentle touch, and this close she could see the gold flecks amid the green. He smiled and kept her hand against his cheek with his, turning it over to kiss the back.

"Hey," he whispered.

"Hello," she whispered back, trying not to wince at how inane it sounded. Where had her rapier-like wit gone, as he had teased her before? Elsa swore this man turned her otherwise sharp mind to mush, especially when he looked at her like she was the only thing that mattered in his world.

Then again, tonight didn't seem like a good time for banter. It was quiet and still, a night best suited for softly whispered words and meaningful touches and gestures. She searched her mind for something to talk about, but was saved the trouble when Revel flopped on his back and brought her on top of him. She gasped at the sudden movement and braced her forearms at both sides of his head, barely keeping herself from releasing a blast of cold air because the sudden movement startled her.

"Warn me when you do that next time," she chided him lightly.

"And where's the fun in that?" Revel countered, palming the back of her head and pulling her down for a kiss. Elsa moaned into his mouth when his tongue played with hers, his arm slung over the small of her back to keep her in place. Her body responded to his ministrations, igniting that pleasant, familiar warmth low in her belly. She reflexively ground her hips against his and loved how his hardness felt against the slickness between her legs.

"Elsa," Revel breathed against her neck before trailing a line of kisses down to her chest, moving underneath her. "God, you feel so good…" She arched against him when his mouth closed over her nipple, and he rolled her on her back so he could explore her more thoroughly. He lifted his head and transferred his attention on her other breast, which made her mewl with pleasure.

Her senses were on overload from the way Revel let his lips and hands wander all over her body, and finally—finally!—he entered her slowly, hissing. Elsa struggled to open her eyes and saw his brows furrowed in concentration as he strove to bring her to a climax. But that was the only thing she saw before she closed her eyes, her back curving off the mattress as she reached her blissful peak.

Elsa didn't know how long it took before she returned to her body. Cracking an eye open, she saw Revel above her, holding himself up with his arms, which were trembling from the effort. "Revel?" she asked, opening her eyes fully. Her gaze traveled down where their bodies were joined and felt that he had not yet satisfied himself. She glanced back at him quizzically, raising an eyebrow.

"I, uh…wanted to see your face when you…uh…" he faltered. Elsa let a wicked little grin cross her face, pushing him on his back to straddle him. He was hard as a rock against her belly, and she wondered—for all the intimacies they have shared the entire time they've been together, how would that part of his body feel in her hands? She had only grasped it fleetingly—how would Revel react if she touched it to indulge her curiosity?

"When you brought me to the peak of my pleasure?" she said huskily, quirking an eyebrow at his expression, which was a mixture of bewilderment and lust. Much as she wanted to reach down and satisfy her curiosity, she knew how anticipation would make it all the more sweeter. She started with his face, resting her palms against his stubbled cheeks, and moving them slowly down his chest. She thumbed his nipples and watched avidly as they grew stiff. Revel moaned and reached for her. "No," Elsa said firmly, bringing his arms down to splay them out. "I've always wanted to touch you like this," she admitted, seeing how the pupils of his eyes dilated at her confession. She watched him as he swallowed, tracking how his Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

"You—you're going to drive me crazy, you know," Revel managed tightly, a muscle ticking in his jaw as his eyes bored into hers.

Elsa leaned down to his ear and whispered, "that's the idea." She was gratified when he tensed even more. This time, she let her mouth do the exploring, nibbling on his earlobe before kissing him deeply. She took the lead now, stretching her arms out to clasp his hands to keep them in place. Then she broke away, raining little kisses down his neck and chest, laving the hollow at the base of his throat, tonguing his nipples the way he did with hers. She loved how he writhed underneath her, thrilled at how her touch drove him insane with desire for her.

"I—f—Elsa—God, I need you," he croaked. Elsa brought her head up and saw his green eyes ablaze with naked, unabashed lust and decided to put him out of his misery. Rearing up, she grasped him to guide him within her, noting how there was steel underneath the soft, velvety skin. _I suppose I can indulge my curiosity more some other time,_ she thought mischievously as he slid inside her. Revel's large hands clamped over her waist while she braced her hands on his chest.

"Elsa?" There was an unvoiced question in his eyes.

She nodded. "My turn to watch you," she said quietly. His gaze darkened until there was only a thin ring of green in them, and he began thrusting his hips against hers to chase his own pleasure. Despite her intention to watch, tension began building within her as well, but she was determined to see him as he had seen her when she reached her climax.

Elsa was fascinated at how the cords of his neck stood out when he threw back his head as he neared his completion. The muscles of his chest and stomach tensed and stood out in stark relief as he gasped her name like a fervent prayer. His thrusts grew faster and faster until, arching off the bed with a shout, he let go and spilled his seed within her, filling her with an almost scalding warmth. Revel collapsed against the mattress, his chest heaving from the exertion. She saw him open his eyes, his gaze hazy from orgasmic bliss. Smiling softly, she brushed back the sweaty locks of hair plastered against his forehead, earning her a befuddled stare that made her giggle.

"I…you were…" Revel gasped. She placed a finger against his lips to shush him.

"I know."

"Elsa, I…I can't let tonight pass without saying this," he said, still breathless, bringing her close to his chest. She heard his heart banging against his ribs, and she closed her eyes to listen to sound more closely.

"Yes?" she prompted him. Revel kissed her temple gently before pushing himself up to gaze down at her. He tucked back some wayward strands of hair back behind her ears, then trailed his fingertip down her cheek a wake of tingles on her skin.

"You make me so happy, Elsa," he said quietly after a pause, looking deep into her eyes. Elsa felt her heart stop momentarily at his admission. She knew the depth of his feelings and shouldn't be surprised, but hearing the words somehow had. However, she couldn't help but feel a pinprick of...disappointment? But before she could process her feelings further, her heart started beating again, and she opened her mouth to respond in kind.

"You make me happy too, Revel."

The lovers smiled at each other before settling down once again. "It shouldn't be much of a surprise, should it?" Elsa ventured.

"No, not really. But it's good to say and hear the…the…words," he said around a yawn. She chuckled at his sleepy expression.

"I hope I didn't wear you out too much," she teased him as his eyes slid shut.

"I'm too exhausted to argue with you, woman," he mumbled. "Go to sleep. I'll wake you up."

"Ha. Maybe I'll wake YOU up."

Revel's only response was a soft snore. Shaking her head, Elsa snuggled against his chest with a smile and closed her eyes to sleep. She tried to push aside her mild confusion over her vague feelings of dissatisfaction at Revel's declaration.

_Stop this right now,_ she commanded herself. _Don't ruin this moment. Cherish every moment you have with him._

She forced herself to relax, focusing on the steady sound of his heartbeat, letting it lull her to sleep.

* * *

**_Note: _**_I changed the original ending a bit to suit the timeline of events better. In the main fic, Elsa and Revel only declare their feelings for each other before she faced Fritz. The original ending here had them saying "I love you" which is out of place._


	4. Prude

The Queen of Arendelle was not a micromanager, but she expected to know the whereabouts of the castle's key personnel: Gerda, Kai, and Captain Revel. Gerda and Kai had been accounted for, but the captain had told her he will be busy keeping an eye on the wharf after receiving intelligence that smugglers from Weselton were planning something. With the rather frosty relations between the two territories, Revel had decided to personally oversee the sting operation to catch the smugglers in the act.

"Do you have to go?" Elsa had asked, hating the pleading note in her voice when he informed her privately in her study.

"I have to. It may be the only time we could catch those bastards in the act," Revel said, enveloping her into a reassuring hug. She felt the tension in her body dissipate somewhat as she let his warmth wash over her. Then, with a gentle kiss on her lips, he took his leave and walked out the study without glancing back.

To keep herself from worrying about her lover's safety, the queen wandered to the library at around eight in the evening and found the princess lounging on the couch. It was the same couch where Elsa and Revel had…made their feelings for each other VERY clear. Elsa schooled her face into a placid expression and cleared her throat in order to get Anna's attention, but apparently she was very engrossed in her novel. She walked up to Anna (who still had her nose stuck in the book) and squinted at the title.

"The Passionate Flower?"

"Gah! Sheesh, Elsa, don't scare me like that. Do you want me to give birth prematurely?" Anna gasped, a hand on her chest.

Elsa raised a perfect eyebrow. "I stood here for a good minute clearing my throat to get your attention. That book you're reading must be very good if you didn't hear me," she remarked.

"Oh. Uh. Yeah, I'd say so," Anna said, glancing at the nondescript brown cover with the title in gold lettering. Elsa could've sworn a crafty look crossed Anna's features, but it was gone by the time she glanced up. "Do you want to borrow it? It's pretty good," she said, a touch of innocence coloring her voice. Elsa felt instantly wary—every time Anna had that tiny little lilt in her voice, it usually meant she was up to no good. But what harm can a book do?

And so, while waiting for her lover to arrive, Elsa retired to her room, taking the book with her. She donned a robe over her nightgown and curled up on the couch in her room to read to pass the time. As she read, Elsa slowly realized why she saw Anna with that crafty look and heard that tiny little lilt in her voice. But like a gawker, she couldn't look away from the disaster she was reading.

_The Passionate Flower_ was a romance novel, chock-full of euphemisms that were, simply put, incredibly bad. Which in turn inspired a feeling that was difficult to pin down, but the best she could come up with was "amused horror." She could only imagine what she looked like—puce complexion and shocked yet fascinated eyes taking up half her face.

Revel found her just like that.

"What are you reading?" he asked, making her jump and release a blast of cold air that twisted into a small dervish around them. With a hand over her galloping heart, Elsa distantly noted that he didn't even flinch.

"Don't do that," she rebuked him weakly. "And don't say 'I enjoy doing it.' I'm serious, Revel," she persisted, noting when his tongue darted out to lick his lips before he grinned, transforming it to a glistening, delectable, kissable mouth…

Good God, where had that thought come from?

Elsa dropped the book like it was hot, drawing Revel's attention to it. He picked it up, glancing at it curiously. "The Passionate Flower," he read the title out loud, peeking at Elsa's reddening face quizzically. "Is this a horror novel? You look scared," he observed.

She didn't think it was possible, but she felt her face growing even redder. "I…uh, don't think you should read it," Elsa said squeakily, standing up to get the book from him. "Anyway, so…what happened? Is everything alright?" she asked, trying to change the subject. She would never live it down if he found out she was reading such drivel. Seeing her discomfiture, Revel's concerned expression morphed into something mischievous.

"You're blushing," he stated, refusing to take her bait, stepping back as she advanced toward him. "Now I'm getting more intrigued. Why is this book getting to you?"

"Stop it, Revel, and give it back!" She lunged toward him and he danced away from her nimbly, thumbing to the page she had earmarked. He cleared his throat theatrically and began reading out loud.

"Rhiannon, now a concubine serving her master—oho, this sounds interesting, indeed!" Revel grinned wickedly at Elsa, who gave up and flopped on the couch, rolling her eyes and petulantly crossing her arms over her chest.

"Oh, read on, it gets better," she said sarcastically, waving a hand. He raised an eyebrow at her and continued.

"…buried her questing fingers in his silky black mane as the sheik soothed the aching buds of her bosom—" Revel's tone went up dubiously—"with his talented tongue. 'I wish to sip the sweet nectar you produce—" he bent closer to the book, as if he couldn't believe what he was reading, mollifying Elsa somewhat. "…between your thighs, my passionate flower,' he murmured." He stopped at this point, his brows snapping together in a disapproving frown. "Who wrote this?" he demanded after a pause of disbelief, slapping the book shut. "Whoever did should be shot for butchering our language and literature!"

Elsa started at his sudden outburst and stared at him. She hadn't expected him to react like that—in fact, she thought he would relish reading it to tease her. She had never been fond of reading romance novels, finding them overwrought and just plain silly, and she should have known what it was based on the title, along with the fact that Anna was reading it. Elsa loved her sister—she really did—but there were times when her tastes and Anna's were just too different. _Then again, one shouldn't judge a book by its cover,_ she thought as she smirked at Revel's outraged expression. An idea started forming in her head—knowing how Revel could get when goaded, she looked at him with a challenging stare as she rose slowly from the couch, plucking the book from his suddenly weakened grasp.

"Why darling, considering the…pleasures we've shared in the past months, I wouldn't have thought you were such a prude," Elsa murmured, pitching her voice low and staring deep into his eyes.

Revel glowered and stood his ground. "I am not a prude," he maintained, setting his jaw stubbornly. "I simply do not care for such terrible writing."

"Pity. I agree the writing was deplorable, but the descriptions were rather fascinating as well, don't you think?"

"Are you goading me into doing something?"

Elsa shrugged delicately, letting her robe slip off from one ivory shoulder. The nightgown she wore was sleeveless and had thin straps—she had Ingrid make it for her since there were nights that felt too warm. Besides, as she had declared up the North Mountain, the cold never bothered her anyway. She felt a thrill when Revel's stare intensified. But what he said next jarred her out of her playful mood.

"Fine. I challenge you to a readoff of this godawful passage." Elsa's jaw dropped open. That wasn't what she had in mind at all—she only wanted to seduce him, but then it wasn't in her nature to back down, either. She snapped her mouth shut, her back straightening at the same moment she squared her shoulders.

"Challenge accepted, Captain. What are terms for winning?" she asked, smoothing her expression into a poker face and hitching the collar of her robe back up her shoulder.

Revel leered and stepped closer. "Simple. Whoever laughs while the reading or listening to a ridiculous sentence from this book takes off an article of his or her clothing. Are you agreeable to my terms, Majesty?"

Elsa steeled herself with the knowledge she could win this handily. After all, she had gone through thirteen years of concealing her true feelings—why, she was practically a master at that. "Deal," she said, holding out her hand. "Let us seal this accord with a handshake, then."

Revel took her hand and shook it firmly. "So, who will go first?" he asked with a broad grin, still not letting go of her.

"Before we start, I'd like to check if we're on an even playing field, Captain. You must admit, I'm not wearing much. Just my nightgown and a thin robe," Elsa remarked mildly, removing her hand from his grip. The tiniest spark of desire ignited in Revel's green eyes when she said that, but she kept her face pleasantly bland.

"Of course. Silly of me not to have thought about that," Revel acquiesced with a bow of his head. Keeping his eyes on hers, he removed his coat and boots, leaving him barefoot and wearing only his white linen shirt, the collar undone and the hem untucked from his brown trousers. Elsa's scrutiny raked over him, from the strong column of his neck, down to the open collar which exposed part of his hair-dusted chest. Her fingers itched to touch him, but she held herself back.

"Is everything to your liking, Majesty?" Revel asked huskily, spreading his arms out. The thin linen against the firelight outlined his body, which made Elsa's skin prickle in remembrance at how it felt alongside hers.

"It is enough," she said, managing to keep her voice steady. "Shall we begin?"

"Ladies first, since you're holding the book."

"Oh no, you challenged me, remember? So you should go first." Elsa held out the book to Revel, who shrugged and took it from her. Their fingertips accidentally brushed, sending a warm wave of awareness throughout her body. Revel was not unaffected; the shadows the firelight had cast around the room did not hide how a muscle ticked in his jaw, which made Elsa more confident of her chances of winning against him. _You should learn to pick your battles with me, _she thought, allowing herself to feel smug. Yes, this one's definitely in the bag.

Revel cleared his throat and opened the book to begin reading. "Rhiannon, now a concubine serving her master," he said, his face completely serious, "buried her questing fingers in his silky black mane as the sheik soothed the aching buds of her bosom with his talented tongue. 'I wish to sip the sweet nectar you produce between your thighs, my passionate flower,' he murmured." Revel actually changed his accent when he spoke the as the sheik.

_He must have picked that up during his travels as a boy,_ Elsa mused, her pulse starting to race as the rich sound of his voice filled her ears. She mentally shook herself. _Focus, Elsa. Don't be distracted by him._

"The concubine gasped her outrage but was helpless against her master's sensual assault on her femininity." Revel flicked a heavy-lidded glance at her and licked his lips. _Did he—did he just do that on purpose?_ She blinked, keeping her calm while valiantly trying to repress memories of him doing the exact thing the sheik did to Rhiannon. He had always done that…thing with finesse, a hot promise burning in his eyes as he held down her thrashing limbs.

_Oh, God…now I'm starting to think like that damn book,_ Elsa realized, gulping. _And he's only read two sentences!_

The thought was so ridiculous that Elsa, considering herself as calm and rational, couldn't keep back a bark of laughter when an image of her dressed in a pink belly dancer costume and a bearded, mustachioed Sheik Revel pressing her down on a low bed flashed before her mind's eye.

"Point for me, Majesty. Now let's get that robe off, shall we?"

"What? That wasn't even a laugh!" Elsa protested, but knowing full well that it was. She cursed her suddenly overactive imagination, causing Revel to raise his eyebrows at her as if to say 'really?' "No one likes a sore loser," he chided as Elsa threw up her hands in defeat, standing to shrug out of her robe. The silken material slid down her body with a whisper and pooled at her feet. She kept her eyes on the floor as she divested herself of her robe, feeling his gaze on her. Bending to retrieve her discarded robe, she draped it over the couch's backrest. Expectant blue met intense green when she found the courage to look at him.

"You've turned red," Revel said, holding out the book. Squaring her shoulders, they switched places, he sitting on the couch and she standing before him. Taking a breath, she started where he left off.

"When he felt she was ready, the sheik impaled his…th-throbbing spear of m-manflesh between the d-dew-moistened feminine petals of her p-passionate flower." This time, and for some incredibly ridiculous reason, an image of a spear with a blunt, flesh-colored spearhead plunging into a rose in full bloom invaded her mind's eye. She had attributed her first loss as a fluke, but now she wasn't so sure. Why was her mind showing her these absurd images? She paused, clenching her jaw as she visualized herself freezing both the now-floppy spearhead and rose with her ice magic. _There, _she huffed inwardly, _that ought to teach you. _Elsa shifted her weight from foot to foot and continued on with grim determination. "His mighty manroot easily tore through her vulnerable gates and plunged straight to her throbbing core."

This time, an image of a phallus-shaped ginger root with chariot wheels crashing through the castle gates came to mind.

And so, the stoic ruler of Arendelle, Queen Elsa, whose motto for thirteen years was "conceal, don't feel", finally lost it.

_Oh, to hell with it,_ she thought, collapsing on the couch as she dissolved into helpless laughter. She vaguely heard Revel say dryly, "I'll wait for you to calm down before declaring myself as the winner." She waved him off as she clutched her stomach, gasping. As her laughing fit died down, she managed to open her eyes slightly and saw him looking at her with a fond expression on his face. Elsa sat up and coughed lightly, gathering the tattered shreds of her queenly dignity.

"You win, sir," she conceded, holding her hand out for him to shake. Revel shook his head and flashed her an amused half-smile as he shook her hand.

"I did, didn't I? But before I declare victory, I have to ask—what was going through your head when you read those passages?"

Elsa sighed, rubbing her temple. "You don't want to know," she mumbled.

"Try me."

She pursed her lips thoughtfully. "Oh God, where do I start?" she wondered.

"From the beginning is a good place to do so."

"Ass."

"As I've always been, Elsa." Revel smiled, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. Her loose braid had become undone in the middle of her fit, and it spilled in abundant waves over her shoulders and back. "It was good to hear you laugh," he murmured, running his hands through her hair. "It was the first time I've seen you let loose like that, and it was beautiful to watch."

Elsa raised a doubtful eyebrow at him. "Really? Because I was pretty sure I was snorting like a pig as I did." She exhaled to blow a lock of hair off her forehead. "Well, it has been stressful lately, what with the Spring Trade Summit and those smugglers."

"Mmm-hmm," Revel mumbled, pushing her back on the couch and raining soft kisses down her neck.

"W-what are you…"

"Claiming my prize."

"Don't you want to hear about—?"

"Later. Much later," he growled as he slid a warm hand up her leg, across her thigh and into the heat of the wetness between her legs. Elsa's head fell back against the armrest behind her, a breathy sigh escaping past her lips. Revel continued his passionate assault, lifting her nightgown and peppering her body with teasing kisses that only served to bank the desire burning in her abdomen. He glanced up at her once, the lust in his eyes scorching her. When her lover's tongue slipped past her navel, she curled her fingers in his thick hair, much like the concubine had done with her sheik. She almost came off the cushions when his tongue circled the sensitive nub, sending shocks rippling through her body. Time stood still for her; nothing mattered except giving in to the pleasure washing over her again and again.

* * *

"We never did finish reading that ridiculous passage," Elsa murmured, tracing circles over Revel's chest with her index finger. She listened to the reassuring sound of his heartbeat, which was still racing from their lovemaking. He seemed fiercer tonight, determined to bring her to the heights of climax as many times as he could before he succumbed to his own. She fought back a blush as she remembered him doing that…thing with his—to borrow a phrase from that book—talented tongue.

She wondered if and how she could return the favor.

"Yes, and you never told me why you lost so badly," Revel agreed. Elsa pinched his arm and he recoiled, laughing. "Ow! I was just telling the truth," he protested.

"If you must know, I kept getting these mental images of how the sheik bedded Rhiannon. Literal interpretations of those awful metaphors," Elsa answered, shaking her head. "And here I thought my mastery over my emotions would help me win," she admitted ruefully.

"You got too cocky, Elsa," Revel teased, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively, making her laugh.

"Oh, stop it with those innuendos! I swear that's what got me to lose." _Then again, I did win somewhat, didn't I? _she thought, keeping back a naughty smile. _He worked twice as hard to prove he wasn't a prude._ She shook her head mentally. _I really have to fish my mind out of the gutter. This is all Anna's fault._

"Well, now I'm curious what happened next," Revel said, gently dislodging Elsa from him to get up. She watched him as he walked toward the couch, admiring how his sinuous body moved. "Ah, here it is." Elsa followed the line of hair that began just under his navel and trickled down his stomach to his groin as he walked back to her bed. Funny how easily her desire is stirred whenever she saw that intriguing trail. He settled in easily beside her and began to read out loud.

"Rhiannon, now a concubine serving her master, buried her questing fingers in his silky black mane as the sheik soothed the aching buds of her bosom with his talented tongue. 'I wish to sip the sweet nectar you produce between your thighs, my passionate flower,'" Revel said, his voice pitched low. "The concubine gasped her outrage but was helpless against her master's sensual assault on her femininity. When he felt she was ready, the sheik impaled his throbbing spear of manflesh between the dew-moistened feminine petals of her passionate flower. His mighty manroot easily tore through her vulnerable gates and plunged straight to her throbbing core. It was painful at first, but the pleasure his tumescence brought her crested sharply, washing over her like a tidal wave. He burst within her like a ripe melon as she screamed her pleasure like a well-satisfied banshee. 'Well, well, wench,' the sheik gasped, smiling benevolently at Rhiannon. "You were satisfactory enough."

A moment of silence descended upon the lovers as they absorbed what Revel just read. That silence was shattered when his cheeks puffed out before a burst of laughter exploded from him. Elsa soon followed suit, clutching at him as they descended into a helpless, uncontrollable bout of hilarity.

"Oh God…that was horrible. Really horrible. Sounds painful for Rhiannon. Where did you get this?" Revel asked, wiping tears from his eyes.

"Anna," Elsa squeezed out, still laughing. That book was absolutely the worst piece of literature she had ever read, but considering what it brought her tonight—laughter, which she sorely needed—she might look at it with a kinder eye from now on. "I don't know if I should hug her or strangle her for lending me this…travesty," she said, shaking her head.

"Thank her," Revel suggested, reaching over to place the book on the small table beside her bed. "For tonight," he said, adopting the accent he used earlier for the sheik, "much love has been made, my passionate flower." He grinned at her cheesily and twirled an imaginary mustache with his finger. This time, Elsa groaned and shoved him.

"If you want to get anywhere with me, I would advise you NOT to call me that," she retorted.

"As you wish, Majesty."

"Elsa."

"Of course, Elsa." It never failed to thrill her whenever she heard him speak her name. She settled against his chest once more as he pressed a gentle kiss on her temple.

"Sweet dreams, darling," he murmured as she surrendered herself to slumber.

* * *

_Note: I wrote this while buried up to my ears in work, which came off as bland at first. JEGlass was kind enough to step in and pepper it with the spiciness it needed. Personally, I think the humor fell flat a bit (entirely my fault). Ah, well, it's something I'll need to work on. It was great collaborating with her. _


	5. Domesticity

It only took the slightest shift of Elsa's body to yank Revel from slumber's comforting embrace. "Mmph," he mumbled, his voice scratchy from sleep as he tried to blink the drowsiness away. He found Elsa peering at him, her chin resting on his chest and her eyes shining like twin jets of blue flame in the darkness.

"Sorry if I woke you," she apologized, running a fingertip along his bristly jaw. "I need to be up early today."

Revel became fully awake at her statement, for it meant less time spent with her. He jealously guarded his time with his beloved—he barely saw her during the day, and he couldn't get enough of her at night. It had led to a couple of arguments between them, but the restrictions on their time and relationship with each other always led to...very pleasant reconciliations.

Back to the present, Revel tried to keep from grimacing after what she told him. "Why?" he asked, keeping his voice neutral.

"It's my mother's birthday today."

Oh. Now Revel felt like a heel for his petulance. Of course it was the former queen's birthday—how could he have forgotten? Elsa did mention it last night, but he had been more focused on other things, such as...

Well. There was no need to elaborate on it. "Alright," Revel said resolutely, hauling himself up. "I'd better get breakfast started. It was a good thing I passed by the market yesterday. Would you care for some bread, eggs, and ham?" he asked with a smile.

"Sounds wonderful," Elsa agreed, scrunching her face as she stretched her arms above her head, curving her back to get the kinks out with a cute little grunt. The sheet covering her slipped as she did, which drew his admiring eyes to her graceful neck, the sharp relief of her collarbones and the hollow between them, the rosy tips of her creamy breasts, and her flat stomach. His eyes lingered on the scar just below her left breast, calling up unpleasant memories briefly. "Hello, I'm up here," she said, waving at him and regarding him with amusement. "Do you like what you see?"

Revel smirked. "Definitely," he agreed. "But it won't do for us to be slugabeds this morning. Today will be a busier day than usual for you, won't it?"

She groaned, throwing an arm over her eyes. "Ugh, don't remind me. It's Tuesday today. You know I hate Tuesdays." She sat up and rested her forehead against his shoulder, sighing. He patted the side of her head to console her.

"With a passion, if I remember correctly." At that he gently dislodged Elsa from him and swung his legs out of his bed, pulling on his pants that had been carelessly discarded on the floor. A slightly smug smile of remembrance crossed his face as he recalled how Elsa growled at him to take them off. Throwing off the haze of desire that started to come over him, Revel gathered his shirt from the floor as well, pulling it over his head and went to the fireplace so he could illuminate his quarters. After building a small, cheerful fire, he headed to his modest kitchen to start cooking their breakfast. Elsa soon joined him at the kitchen after she got dressed, and without a word began helping him with preparations. She took out plates, silverware, and cups from his cupboard to set on his table and prepared tea as he cooked the ham and eggs. The unspoken domesticity tugged at his heart; not for the first time he wished things between them were different.

Whenever he permitted himself a break from doing paperwork, Revel would indulge in daydreams of him and Elsa living in a simple cottage somewhere in Arendelle. She would greet him with a warm smile at the door when he came home from hard day's work, taking his coat and kissing him on the cheek, telling him that dinner would be ready in fifteen minutes. Her stomach would be gently rounded because of something they had made together...

"Revel! The ham!"

"Ah, shit," he cursed, hastily taking the smoking pan from the stove. Elsa doused the fire with her ice as Revel removed the ham from the pan to keep it from burning further. "Well, it's not that bad," he observed, poking at it with a fork once they were on a plate. "The edges are a little charred, so I hope you don't mind your ham a little crispy."

Elsa shrugged as she sat down. "I'm not really a picky eater," she said. "As long as it's familiar and edible, I'm fine. But what happened? You're usually alert."

He shrugged as well, joining her at the table. "I was daydreaming," he confided sheepishly, having wanted to tell her about it for quite some time. "Seeing you putter around the table like that made me wonder what you'd be like as a housewife."

_My wife,_ he amended inwardly.

It was as close as he could get to admitting he wanted to marry her.

Elsa's expression was a mixture of surprise and sadness. "Wouldn't it be nice," she replied wistfully, stirring some sugar into her tea.

_Idiot,_ Revel berated himself. _You're such a selfish ass. You should have kept that to yourself instead of reminding her that the two of you. Cannot. Be. Together. It's not possible. Not with the secret you're hiding._ He flicked a glance at the discolored stone above his fireplace, thinking about what lurked behind it. Shaking off his consternation, he changed the subject, asking her what her plans for the day were.

"The three of us—Kristoff, Anna, and I—will be going up to the Overlook and pay our respects. Anna was saying something about having a picnic there, since Mama loved picnics when we were kids," Elsa responded, her gaze faraway with reminiscence as she ate.

"Oh. I guess I shouldn't have suggested breakfast then. I ruined your appetite," he said after a couple of bites of ham and bread.

"Don't be silly. I'm famished, especially after what you did to me last night," Elsa remarked with such a straight face, sipping her tea daintily that Revel almost missed the implications. "I didn't think I could bend that way, but then I would attribute my flexibility to the expert training you had given me these past months." This time she said it with a wicked little twist to her mouth that he could have sworn cranked up the temperature in the room a couple of degrees. Funny how she managed to heat things up with an innocuous statement or subtle gestures such as her sly little grin. He opened his mouth to respond, but Elsa suddenly started after she glanced at his clock.

"Oh no, I think we took up more time than we expected," she said, a bit alarmed, pushing back her chair. Revel saw that she had only finished a third of her breakfast. "I have to be back in my room in ten minutes. Anna's been excited about this, and you'll never know with her."

He understood. A bugle and a couple of cannon blasts at her door usually wouldn't wake the princess up, but if she was excited about something she could be quite the early bird. He hoped that today wouldn't be the day they would be discovered because of Anna's unpredictability.

"Go on, shoo," Revel said, waving her off. "I'll finish up here." He wasn't even done speaking when Elsa started drinking the rest of her tea in unladylike gulps, surprising him a bit. He didn't think it was in her to act as such—she had always been grace personified to him.

"What?" she asked, wiping the top of her lip with the back of her hand when she caught him staring at her in mild amazement.

"I didn't think I'd see you chug down a cup of tea. That's not such a queenly thing to do," he teased her with a grin as he put his fork down. Elsa rolled her eyes in response and grabbed her cloak from the nearby chair, donning it with a flair only royals have. Revel's grin widened at that. _Just like a queen, she has to have the last word, even if she doesn't say anything._ Not for the first time he realized just how much thrall she has over him—every movement she did mesmerized him, even the simple act of putting on a cloak. He stood up and crossed the short distance to stand before her. She glanced up at him expectantly when he put a hand on her shoulders with a smile.

"Have a good day," Revel murmured, pressing a gentle kiss on her forehead, her nose, and finally, her lips. He let his mouth linger on hers, keeping the kiss chaste as he bracketed both sides of her head with his hands. He felt her hands slide down on his chest to settle around his waist and pull him closer to her. Savoring the closeness they shared for a little more, he managed to summon the strength to pull himself away from the intoxicating taste of her lips, which was her preferred peppermint tea. He let his eyes rove over her lovely, slightly flushed face, storing the image in his heart to keep himself warm when their inevitable separation comes.

"I will," she responded quietly, looking up at him with those trusting blue eyes that he made sure were stamped clearly in his memories. "I'll tell Mama about you—how fortunate Anna and I have been since you came into our lives."

Revel's throat tightened at what she said. Was she really fortunate to have him in her life? He certainly was, because she was the bright spot in his darkness. But if their secret is found out—

He couldn't bear to finish the thought. But he nodded with a smile of gratitude and fondness.

"Thank you. Now go—you wouldn't want Anna to find out what you've been up to," he prompted with a raised eyebrow, injecting a teasing note in his voice. "I'll see you later."

"You're incorrigible." With another peck on his lips, Elsa pulled away from him and walked out of his chambers without a backward glance.

As always, she took his heart with her. Revel sighed, his world dimming once she was gone. Then again, that was probably because the fire went out with a hiss and a pathetic sputter as she closed the door behind her.

"Damn it. And I'm out of wood too."

Oh well. He supposed he could feel his way around breakfast.


	6. Reminiscence

Revel dreamed.

Or to be more precise, he was reliving a bitter memory, one he thought wouldn't be dredged up considering what was going on with his life right now.

"Revel...promise me…you'll look for happiness. Happiness you weren't able to find with me." She gave him a weak, blood-stained smile—the arrow had pierced her left lung, and he knew that with each heartbeat her lung was rapidly filling with blood. "I'm sorry…I wasn't able to give it to you…happiness…"

"I will. I promise you, Brigitta," he vowed, choking as tears trickled down his cheeks. The end was near for her, and at that moment he hated. Oh, how he hated everything. He felt his face twist into a grimace of anguish as he saw the light slowly burn out of her lively amber eyes—eyes that were bright with the thrill of the hunt a few hours earlier.

Eyes that had looked up at him, pupils dilated with desire as he surged against her with a shudder of release.

"Please…tell Father…I am sorry…" she murmured as her life guttered out like a spent candle.

"Brigitta!" he howled, uncaring whether or not someone heard him.

Revel opened his eyes suddenly with a gasp, feeling cool hands against his hot cheeks. Everything was dark—he thought he had gone blind, but his vision slowly adjusted, helping him focus on the blue gaze looking down at him with a combination of concern and confusion.

"Revel?"

"Elsa," he breathed out, his heart hammering against his chest. "I…what happened? Did I wake you?" he asked, running his fingers through his tangled, slightly sweaty hair.

"You were thrashing and calling out in your sleep," Elsa explained with an undertone of anxiety in her voice. "You were having a nightmare."

Revel sighed, staring at the ceiling. "I was."

Elsa regarded him solemnly, as if she were weighing her words. "Who is Brigitta?" she asked after a careful pause.

He didn't answer for some time, gathering his thoughts. It has been around twelve years since Brigitta died, and it was only now he had the chance to talk about her. Besides opening an old wound, he wasn't sure if Elsa was the right person to talk to about it.

But his subconscious had already betrayed him by making him cry out Brigitta's name in his sleep. The fact that he said another woman's name in Elsa's presence rankled at his sense of fairness, and so with a sigh he hauled himself up to a sitting position and faced her, taking her hands in his. He licked his lips and met her eyes squarely with his.

"Brigitta was my first lover," he admitted. As he expected, Elsa didn't show much of a reaction except widening her eyes fractionally at what he said.

"Oh," she said softly.

Revel rubbed his thumbs over her knuckles to reassure her, and to buy himself some time before he said anything. The pain of her passing had subsided into a dull ache over the years, and he supposed it was because he never had someone to talk to about it. Until now. He kept his eyes on their hands before opening his mouth to begin talking.

"I told you before I lived with poachers before coming to Arendelle," he said. "Brigitta was one of them—daughter of Mikael, the leader." He smiled ruefully. "The beginning of our story was rather typical—headstrong daughter of a chief meets intriguing newcomer, sparks fly and all that." Revel risked a glance at Elsa, who looked back at him with a mixture of gravity and interest.

"Go on," she urged with a slight nod.

Revel sighed, his brows furrowed. "Are you sure? I mean, she and I—"

She placed a finger on his lips to stop his babbling. "Yes, I think I'm strong enough to handle stories about your past lovers," she said with a wry smile. "I know I've shown flashes of jealousy sometimes, but this is obviously something that still troubles you, so I'm here to listen and hopefully help you work things out."

Revel smiled back and grasped her wrist to press a kiss on her palm. "You are most understanding. Truly, a gem among all women."

"Quit stalling and get on with it."

He chuckled at her quick sally before sobering. "Where was I? Ah yes. Well, we were good together. She had some experience, and taught me what I needed to know about women. She used to say I had a lot to learn."

"She must have taught you a lot, then," Elsa remarked with a raised eyebrow. Revel only shrugged. He didn't know what to say to that, and if there was anything he learned about talking to women, less talk meant less mistakes made.

"What was she like?" she pressed, tilting her head curiously.

"She had wavy brown she always held back in a ponytail," he said, picturing Brigitta in his mind's eye. "Tanned skin and freckles over her nose and cheekbones from being out in the sun most of the time because of hunting. Amber eyes. A bit shorter than Anna, with a wiry build. Spunky and outspoken. She used to call me blockhead when I first started to learn how to hunt." He paused. "We used to argue a lot. She complained I held her back, and I would counter she had a big mouth." He smiled and shook his head. "I enjoyed getting under her skin."

"That seems to be your tactic with women," Elsa commented with a teasing note in her voice. Revel grinned at her slyly.

"You've found me out. Oh no," he deadpanned, waving his hands in mock despair. She slapped his arm and waved impatiently for him to continue. "Right, anyway, one day she insisted on going off on her own for this buck that had managed to elude us time and again. Her father had forbidden her to go since the duke was after it as well. Track another mark, Mikael had said, but Brigitta was insistent, saying the buck will feed enough families and its antlers would fetch a handsome price. I had argued with her as well to prevent her from going, but you know how headstrong people are."

"Ah yes," she commiserated with a nod. "Anna doesn't know the meaning of the word 'no'."

"So did Brigitta," Revel sighed. "I knew she was planning something after her father locked her in her room. I followed her when she snuck out. She was very good at tracking that buck—the other poachers kept losing it or never found it, but she found it only after tracking it for an hour.

"She should have listened to her father," he continued, sifting through his memories. "The duke was after the buck too that day, and maybe he must have seen her tracking it. I saw that she had her sights on the buck, but didn't see that the duke had her in his. He shot her in the back with an arrow. Right here," he said in a monotone, touching a spot on Elsa's upper back. "It was rather a blur after that. I don't know how I achieved it—it felt like something came over me, a strength I never knew I had, because I was able to carry her away and outrun and hide from the duke's hounds. She never made it back to Mikael. She died about ten minutes away from her house, asking me to tell her father she was sorry for disobeying him."

Elsa kept quiet, digesting his story. "Was your nightmare about that?" she prodded gently after a moment of patient, understanding silence. Her face held such compassion that he couldn't help but marvel at how it made her even more beautiful. Revel breathed in deeply to compose himself enough to continue.

"Yes," he replied, trying to keep his voice steady. "Before she died, she told me to find the happiness she couldn't give me." He stopped and clenched his jaw, swallowing back the bile that rose in his throat when he recalled the salty tang of Brigitta's blood as he cradled her to his chest. "She always asked me what was wrong, and I didn't tell her. I couldn't. I closed myself off to her whenever she asked, and that made her think I wasn't happy with her. On my end, I didn't want to stain her with my murky past." He bowed his head, not wanting Elsa to see the shame written clearly on his face.

"Like what you're doing with me?"

Revel's head whipped up at her words. "What?" he gasped. The empathy on her face had vanished, leaving Elsa to stare back at him impassively.

"You keep many secrets, Revel," she said. "And I've always wondered what they are. So did I, with Anna, back then. I've concealed many things from her, so I understand where you're coming from. But I hope that you'll trust me with your secrets one day. You know how that saying goes—the truth will set you free."

_Not the secret I'm harboring, _he thought with despair. He wished with all his heart he could bare his soul to her, so that he could be free to tell her how much he loved her. He was so tired of carrying the burden of his secret. But he knew the consequence of doing so, and he would let his soul be damned to hell first before that happens.

Revel swallowed before responding. "One day," he said, fighting for control. "But not now. I'm not…ready."

He knew he hurt Elsa with those words, but what else can he say? She had kept her face composed, but it was the telltale flicker in her eyes that gave her away. He consoled himself with the cold comfort that what he told her was something true, at least. He was not at all ready to tell her his secrets.

Elsa nodded stoically. "I will be waiting then. But thank you for sharing Brigitta's story with me. I'm glad you trusted me with that."

"Elsa…" He hated seeing that blank mask. But since he was the cause, who was he to complain?

She surprised him by cupping her hand over his cheek. "I will wait for you, Revel. No matter how long it takes." Her voice rang with the promise of a vow, her eyes intense. Revel swallowed.

He didn't bother hiding the tears that began to fall at her words. "Thank you," he whispered reverently, leaning against her touch. "I—" he was cut off by her lips sealing over his, surprised by her once more, that all he could do was to respond. His arms went around her to pull her to his lap before burying his hands into her hair. He poured all the love he had for her into his kiss, seeking oblivion in the way she felt in his arms.

She broke away after what seemed to be an eternity, her face flushed from exertion. "Are you alright now?" she asked, her eyes roving over his face with concern. He smiled and smoothed over the crease between her brows with a finger.

"I am. Don't worry about me anymore. Thank you for listening and understanding." He bent to nuzzle her neck, breathing in her distinct scent of cool mountain air and frost that he couldn't get enough of. "Just so you know…"

"Hmm?"

He raised his head to look deeply into her eyes. "I am happy. You have brought me more happiness than I ever thought I could have or deserve." Saying what he truly felt at the moment was a soothing balm to his battered and weary heart.

She simply nodded at his words. "I'm glad you are."

They lay back down again, Elsa spooning against him, and he kissed the back of her neck before closing his eyes. He fought against completing his last thought before slipping into the dark embrace of sleep, not daring to hope.

_One day…_

_Someday._

* * *

_**Note:** I had consulted with JEGlass and got the go signal to post this. It was actually her idea that Revel was involved with someone from the poacher gang, and I just expanded on it. I figured he started pulling his life together somewhat when he got to Arendelle. _


	7. Recruit

Honestly, the shako and white gloves were too much. Revel eyed the hat sitting on his cot and released a nervous breath, running a hand over his short new haircut. All recruits had to have their hair cut in the same close-cropped way, and it felt weird. Cooler, yes, but he was used to running a hand over longer hair whenever he felt discomfited.

Today was one of those days. It was his first day as a newly-minted member of Arendelle's guard.

He allowed a hint of pride toward himself, something he had not felt for a long time. The past five years had not been kind to him, but he felt things were looking up for him now. Sure, he was not the top of this year's crop of recruits—that honor went to Sigmund—but he was comfortably in the middle. For such a peaceful country, Arendelle had a tough training program for its guards. Captain Lukas explained that because Arendelle was relatively isolated, its people developed an independent, resilient spirit, preferring to deal with their problems themselves instead of asking for help. As such, Arendelle kept most of its interactions with other countries through trade and was not part of any alliances. Without any military allies, Arendelle only has its guard to rely on for defense, hence the grueling, backbreaking training program he had sweated through and bled for.

Not for the first time, Revel wondered what possessed him to sign up. He had been in Arendelle for a year and nine months now. After Brigitta died, he left the poacher gang despite Mikael's exhortations to stay. "It was not your fault Brigitta died," the poacher chief had insisted. "We could use a man of your talents to keep the villagers fed. It's what Brigitta would have wanted for you."

But the pain of her passing had been too much for him to bear. And so, one rainy night, he slipped away and wandered, trying to make sense of what had happened to him since he was fifteen. He thought he would go mad from the guilt he carried on his shoulders—his father, Brekemel, and now Brigitta, who was now another stone piled on top—another dark memory, another cause to feel sad.

Revel had no particular destination in mind. He had wandered for weeks after fleeing Asham, his feet following a crude kind of instinct, and he was doing it again. Until one day, cold and starving because the pickings in the woods were close to nil, he found himself at a port offering his services as a stevedore. He never knew what possessed him to even open his mouth. Fate or providence, Revel didn't know and couldn't bring himself to care at the time.

The work gave him something else to focus on. Being a dockworker required carrying very heavy loads and he welcomed the exhaustion it gave him at the end of the day. At least, that prevented him from thinking about anything. Rise, eat, work, sleep—these were the four things that became the rhythm of his life. But then one day at the port, a recruitment poster plastered itself on his face when a particularly strong gust of wind tore it from the post it was stuck on. Revel didn't think twice—he was already getting bored working as a stevedore, and being a guard seemed like a step up from his mundane routine. He quit that day and signed up.

Shaking away the memories, Revel placed the shako on his head with care and started off for the captain's office to ask where he will be posted for his first assignment.

* * *

"Private Revel Handler. Let's see…" Captain Lukas peered down on his ledger, searching for his name. "Ah, here it is. You're to stand guard in the parapets with Anselm. Both of you figure out how you're going to watch over your area. Dismissed." With that the captain laid his ledger aside and returned to what he was doing before Revel disturbed him—he guessed his superior was looking over reports from the Hall of Justice. "Well, what are you waiting for, Handler?" Captain Lukas barked.

"Sorry, sir. I'm off, then." With a crisp salute to his superior, Revel left the office and walked briskly his destination, crossing the courtyard going into the castle to make his way up the parapets. He stopped short when he reached a hallway on the second floor of the castle as memories of a happier time came rushing back to him—he could practically see his twelve-year-old self confronted by a seven-year-old Princess Elsa. A sad, wistful smile crossed his face before it occurred to him that for all his time at the castle, he had never seen the crown princess at all. Not even once.

_Wait, that is strange,_ he mused, resuming his trek to the parapets. _How come a princess, and the heir to the throne at that, is rarely ever seen? What could her parents be hiding?_

Revel shook his head to clear it of questions. It was none of his business. He was at the castle because he had a duty to protect its inhabitants, especially the members of the royal family. But the mystery of the crown princess piqued his curiosity—it seemed highly unlikely that such a lively, mischievous young girl would just…vanish.

However, it seemed that on this particularly sunny day, luck was on his side. He walked along the long stretch of the plush, carpeted hallway, absently noting that he was coming closer and closer to the spot where he first met Princess Elsa all those years ago. Their first encounter had been beside an alcove in the wall which housed a statue of a woman. Revel wondered why that particular recollection was as clear as and sharp like it happened yesterday. Then, as if conjured by magic, the person who occupied his thoughts came around the blind corner, her arms laden with several books.

Princess Elsa.

He knew it was her because of her hair—it was as bright as he had remembered it, tied back into a braid and held in place by a black headband. A fringe of bangs partially obscured clear blue eyes—eyes he remembered sparkling with mischief, but were now as placid as Arendelle's lakes further up north.

Too placid, and far, far too sad.

His breath caught in his throat as those cerulean blue eyes met his startled green ones. _What if she recognizes me?_ Revel thought, panicking as he stiffened to attention in the presence of the crown princess. _Probably not—a lot can change in eight years,_ he reassured himself, trying unobtrusively to figure out if his face rang a bell for her while maintaining a professional mien. He was a guard now, damn it, and he'd best act like one in front of royalty.

She merely blinked at him. Did that mean she had not recognized him at all?

"Good afternoon," she greeted him politely with a small nod. He instinctively clicked his heels together and saluted snappily—even at fifteen years old, the crown princess had this serene yet commanding demeanor that one couldn't help but stand a little straighter in her presence.

"Your Highness," he greeted back, keeping his gaze trained straight ahead. From his vantage point he could tell that Princess Elsa seemed taken aback at his display. She cleared her throat and stared at him for a moment—was it just his imagination, or did a flicker of recognition flare in her eyes?

"Um…at ease, Private…"

"Handler. Private Revel Handler, at your service, Your Highness," he said, lowering his arm. Princess Elsa smiled at him faintly, adjusting the books in her arms.

"Pleasure to meet you, sir. If you'll excuse me." She brushed past him and it took all his self-control not to grab her shoulder to ask if she recognized him. Revel couldn't understand why it bothered him, and before he knew it, he was babbling something out.

"Please, allow me carry your books for you, Your Highness," he offered, which made her stop short and turn to look at him a little strangely. "Those look heavy. Let me assist you," he said lamely, clenching his fists at his sides. _For crying out loud, man,_ he chastised himself, _why did you have to go and do that? Now she's looking at you as if you'd grown a second head!_

"Thank you, but there's no need to," Princess Elsa replied firmly. "Again, I bid you good afternoon, Private Handler." She went on her way without glancing back, leaving him to wonder what happened to the young girl he first met in this very hallway. He knew he acted like a fool back there, but the Elsa he knew wouldn't brush him off like that, and for some strange reason that stung. Oh sure, had she recognized him it would have brought his careful life crashing down around his ears, but he had hoped for…something, hadn't he? Some flicker of recognition or maybe just a playful glint?

_Then again, she must have grown up,_ he thought a little sadly. _Eight years is a long time, and you've seen for yourself how much things could change._

With that sobering thought, he continued on his way to the parapets, deciding to focus his energies on his duties for the day.

* * *

Later that night, Elsa tossed and turned in her large, canopied bed despite her determination to bury herself in her studies to exhaust herself. Her mind kept flashing back to what happened between her and Private Handler in the hallway, as if it were nagging her to remember something important. _But what?_ she thought, turning on her left side and squeezing her eyes shut.

_Let me assist you,_ he had said with a hurried kindness and a nervous half smile, a hopeful glint in his strange, jade green eyes. She'd never seen eyes so bright and—

Elsa's eyes flew open as she flopped on her back, her arms splayed out. _Please don't tell me I'm developing a crush on that guard,_ she thought with a snort of derision. She was starting to run out of books to read at the library, so despite her reservations she started reading a romance novel. She couldn't remember the title, but she did remember tossing it aside when she thought it was getting absurd—imagine, a silly chit of a heroine accepting a marriage proposal from a man she just met! Simply ridiculous.

_I suppose he's handsome,_ she pondered begrudgingly. _Those green eyes of his are remarkable. But why do I feel as if I've seen him before? I've never really talked to others close my age—I can't even say he's that because he looks like he's nineteen or twenty years old. So why do I have that nagging feeling I've met him before? Revel Handler…_ she repeated his name mentally for a few times, trying to see if her brain would connect it with something—anything. And then she felt something click into place.

_Prince Revel of Asham?_ She frowned, sitting up and vehemently shaking her head in denial. _No…that's impossible._

She refused to accept it, because that Revel was a prince, and this one in the castle was a mere guard. "They just have the same name," she said aloud, convinced that was why her brain was prodding her so much. "It's been years since you last saw him—the prince, I mean," she continued, standing up to pace and think out loud. "Last time you saw the prince, you were seven years old. And that was before the accident."

As always, those two words brought a sharp pain that had ice coursing down her arm. She clenched her fists to hold it back, willing herself to get back on her original train of thought. _Focus,_ she commanded herself. She started pacing again and took a deep breath to calm herself.

"If he were to visit, he'd be the same age as Private Handler. Yes, that's probably it," she said. "Then again, why are you now thinking about Prince Revel?"

Elsa allowed herself to be honest and inwardly admit that she had harbored a bad case of puppy love for the prince. He was a willing participant in her shenanigans, which she had orchestrated to impress him. And as far as she could tell, he was, because they were able to get away with those. Raiding the pantry for chocolate was one, the other had been planting fake spiders in his older brother's bed and muffling their laughter as he screamed, yanking off his pajamas and screaming down the hall, naked as the day he was born. She was certain her infatuation with Prince Revel was gone, replaced by guilt over what happened with Anna, but even that had not been strong enough to make her forget the admiring look he had given her as she concocted their playful pranks.

She had been unable to keep herself from throwing her arms around him just before he stepped on the gangplank leading to their ship. "I had fun," she mumbled into his shirt, staining it with her tears. She felt him stroke her hair before pulling back to lift her chin up so he could look at her.

"Me too," he said. He had given her one last hug before disengaging, walking away without even glancing back. It took her weeks to recover from his goodbye and she remembered Anna doubling her efforts to cheer her up. They had exchanged a couple of letters, but their communication had faded, especially after the accident with Anna. She also remembered thinking that she would do her best to grow up pretty so he would fall in love with her and they would get married.

What would he say if he saw her now? Objectively, Elsa knew she was beautiful. _But would he accept my curse?_ she wondered, shaking her head at her childish notions of romance.

"Must be that stupid book, making you spin dreams and stories out of air," Elsa muttered, making a note not to read it again because apparently it had the power to turn her brain into mush. "You're cursed. You're going to freeze anyone who touches you. Never read those books again. It makes you long for things you can't have."

_You're not meant for love. You're cursed._

That last thought was troubling, but nonetheless her pacing and thinking were successful in tiring her enough to make her fall asleep.

* * *

Elsa fretted. There was a book she needed from the library, but that meant she would have to pass by the same hallway she and Private Handler had encountered each other. _Don't be such a ninny,_ she scolded herself. _If you see him, ignore him. You're a princess, remember?_

Of course. How could she have forgotten? She was his superior, and years of concealing her feelings would certainly help her ignore him. Elsa steeled herself and rounded the corner. Sure enough, Private Handler was there, hurrying to his post up at the parapets. He stopped short when he saw her—she could see he was uncertain, but he clicked his heels and saluted smartly, as he had with her yesterday. "Your Highness," he murmured. She returned his greeting wordlessly and continued on her way, her heart pounding, and was relieved when she saw that Private Handler didn't seem to take it personally. He had quirked the corner of his mouth in a small smile directed at her before walking briskly toward the opposite direction to reach the parapets.

Elsa frowned. Why did that smile seem so familiar?

_You're doing it again. Quit daydreaming and get Euclid's Elements. Professor Hummel is going to quiz you about Chapter Twelve._

Resolutely donning a calm façade, she marched toward the library, determined to put Prince Revel and the guard with his namesake out of her mind.

* * *

_Note: Yep, that hallway where they met in Chapter Two? That was the same hallway they had the quickie in Chapter Sixteen of _For the First Time in Never._ Credit for that idea goes to NicPie. Thanks to JEGlass as well for sprucing this up a bit._


	8. Spring

_**Note: **I would like to thank jenniferjuni-per from Tumblr for goading me out of my writer's block to write this. Credit for the idea goes to jupiter235 (also from Tumblr), and bits of Armor—that one chapter idea I had—made its way here.  
_

* * *

"You know, I never would have pegged you as the sneaking off type," Revel whispered conversationally as he trailed after Elsa, skittering after her as they hid in the shadows of the courtyard. He guessed they were headed to the stables based on the direction they were taking. He opened his mouth to ask why, but she turned around and put a finger on her lips, her eyes dancing with mischief. He couldn't help but smile at that—he saw a glimpse of that carefree little girl he first met a long time ago.

He was surprised to see her in dark male traveling clothes when she arrived at his quarters earlier, carrying a large, bulging rucksack. The past week had been incredibly busy with him stuck in his office the whole time, buried under paperwork. Revel was looking forward to a quiet evening with Elsa so he could make slow love to her all through the night...

"Are you listening to me?" Elsa regarded him with a raised eyebrow. He grinned at her toothily and shook his head, causing her to roll her eyes. "I said, we split up here. Meet me outside the east wall in ten minutes, and make sure you're not seen. I told the stablemaster I am going for a night ride alone."

He motioned to the rucksack she carried. "Do you want me to take that off your hands?" Revel asked, partly because it would raise less suspicion if she didn't carry anything, and partly because he was curious what it contained. Elsa bit her lip to consider his offer then nodded.

"In case you're wondering, you're carrying a couple of torches, candles, some carrots for my horse, blankets, and a box of matches in that rucksack," she informed him. "I might as well tell you because I know you'll sneak a peek once my back is turned."

"Ha, you know me so well. I'll meet you at the east wall, then," Revel said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek that had her looking up at him in surprise. "For luck," he explained. "May this mad adventure you have in store for us tonight be a success."

"But of course," she replied with a smirk and a sarcastic little bow of her head. "I can pull shenanigans if I put my mind to it, you know."

Shaking his head at her antics—really, Elsa was acting so unlike herself tonight—he melted back into the shadows and made his way to the east wall, waiting and wondering what tonight would bring.

* * *

Half an hour's ride east of the castle later, Revel found himself staring apprehensively at the dark mouth of a cave as he slid off Gralysningen's back. "Where are we?" he asked wrapping his hands around her waist to help her off her horse. She braced her hands on his shoulders as he lifted her off the saddle, keeping his hands resting on her hips when he set her on her feet. She looked up at him with a coy little smile, winding her arms around his neck and playing with the hair on his nape.

"Cave, east of the castle. And don't worry, it's just the two of us for miles around."

"How can you be sure?"

"Well," she disentangled herself from his loose hold to take the reins of her horse to lead it into the cave, "Anna told me about it. She and Kristoff had apparently spent some time here, and they have never been disturbed."

He followed. "But—"

Elsa turned and placed a finger over his lips to shush him. "We'll be fine."

Revel found himself getting more intrigued by this playful, bolder Elsa before him, but at the same time he was unable to shake off his unease. "What's gotten into you tonight?" he couldn't resist asking, falling into step behind her as she led her horse toward the entrance of the cave. "You're different."

Elsa shrugged. "We—" she was cut off by her horse balking against the darkness. "Whoa, easy, boy, easy," she soothed Gralysningen, patting the gelding's neck. "Revel, would you mind lighting a torch, please?"

He did what was asked of him and went ahead of her to lead the way, holding the torch aloft to light their path. "You haven't answered my question, you know," Revel pointed out, surveying what he could see from his vantage point, his guard instincts on high alert. He spied a hot spring about ten paces from where he stood which was partially surrounded by boulders, keeping himself still as a sentinel while Elsa rummaged through the rucksack slung on his back. "So Gralysningen won't be left in the dark," she said, kneeling down to let some of the wax drip on the flat surface of a boulder before sticking the candle over the melted wax.

Meanwhile, Revel looked around for a suitable place to stick the torch into. Seeing a pile of stones near the spring, he walked up to the pile and arranged it around the torch to hold it up, bathing the rest of the cave in warm, golden light. He glanced at her as she stood up and gave her horse a final pat on its nose, giving it a carrot as a treat.

Elsa soon joined him. "Come on," she said with a giggle, grabbing his hand to tug him toward the spring. He stayed rooted at his spot and raised a dubious eyebrow at her in response. "Oh, do relax, will you? I planned this very carefully for two days," she chided him with a beguiling smile. "I made sure we've got everything we would need for a relaxing dip in the hot spring."

"Elsa, I can't just relax. I'm your captain of the guard. What kind of guard would I be if I were lax around my queen?"

Revel wanted to kick himself as soon as the words left his mouth. Elsa had obviously put in a lot of thought for tonight—why did he have to ruin it by being a stick in the mud? The smile faded from her face, shifting into the impassive expression she wears whenever she started losing her patience. He thought it was rather an achievement that he was one of the very few people who could read the inscrutable Snow Queen of Arendelle.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, taking her cool hands in his, rubbing them with his thumbs. "I just…I can't bear the idea of you getting hurt. Please understand." He kissed her hands apologetically and was gratified to see her loosen her stiff posture when he lowered her hands.

"I do, but I was hoping that for tonight we can just be Elsa and Revel," she admitted softly. "We're always playing our roles, or in a hurry, especially during the day. I thought we could use a little time to just…get away from it all. Even just for a little while."

"Then we are," he murmured, dropping the rucksack from his shoulders and pulling the string that held Elsa's cloak closed. It slid to the ground with a soft, flopping sound. From the weak moonlight streaming in from a hole on the cave's roof, he could see her throat working as he traced a line up her neck to her jawline, stopping at her chin to tilt her face up for a kiss. He heard her inhale sharply as he wrapped his left arm around her shoulders to pull her close, his right hand opening to cradle her jaw, slanting his head so he could tease her mouth to open for him. She did so almost shyly at first, quite different from the passionate woman he had bedded over the past few months. Pressing his advantage, he plunged in greedily, savoring the sweet, wintry taste of her mouth, his tongue tangling with hers. He backed her up against a nearby boulder that was as tall as her, pulling her shirt free from her trousers as she fumbled to pull his coat off his shoulders. Dimly, he registered his hand scraping the rough surface of the boulder he had her pinned against, prompting him to pull away.

"Wait," he gasped. Elsa blinked up at him, her hair a tousled mess and her blue eyes alight with need. Reaching in deep for some semblance of control, he willed himself not to bend down and lose himself in her once more.

"What's wrong?" she asked, knitting her brows with concern, her hands resting on his chest.

"Shouldn't we—didn't you bring any supplies to make our stay here a little more comfortable?" he asked, trying to cobble his scattered wits together. "Didn't you bring…uh, blankets?"

"In the rucksack."

"Right. Of course." Revel knelt down to rummage through the rucksack he dropped earlier, focusing on the task to tamp down his ardor. He took out two large blankets and spread them out one on top of the other, trying not to think about how his hands were shaking slightly. What was it about tonight that had him on the edge? It wasn't as if it were the first time he and Elsa had made love—there had been times when she had been the aggressor, which was a pleasant surprise to him. But there was something about her demeanor that suggested something. It frustrated him a bit that he couldn't quite put a finger on it, but he hoped that by the time they had go back to the castle and their roles, he will have figured it out.

He gulped as he smoothed down the last wrinkled portion of the blanket. "That should do it. Now then," he stood up and turned. "What are you…" he trailed off, his jaw dropping open.

Elsa stood before him, bathed in the golden light of the torchlight.

It was Elsa revealed.

Revel stared at her in dumbfounded fascination as she walked toward him slowly, a mixture of lust, purpose, and tenderness in her eyes. Without a word she pulled his shirt over his head, and all he could do was to raise his arms up obligingly. His breath caught in his throat when her fingers began unbuckling his belt, the accessory making a hissing sound as she pulled it from the waistband of his trousers. "Wait," he managed to croak out. "I'll do the rest." Her soft laughter followed him as he sat down on a nearby boulder, pulling his boots from his feet and setting them neatly beside the blanket. He darted his eyes about to avoid looking at Elsa—he was sure one look at her would have him spilling in his trousers in no time flat. But the image of her naked body, set aglow by the firelight, was seared into his mind's eye.

Looking away didn't help much, apparently. His manhood sprang free when he pulled his trousers down to his ankles, and this time he was impatient enough to toss it aside carelessly. In two quick strides he had her in his arms, pressing his chest against hers and loving how the hard planes of his body contrasted with her softness. Again he kissed her as he let his hands roam all over the parts of her body he could reach. She moaned with abandon when he palmed her breasts and tweaked her nipples before bending down to lave them with his mouth, one after the other. The sounds she made reverberated throughout the chamber, fanning the flames of his desire for her more. He trailed a path up with his lips and tongue to kiss her once again, feeling her cool hands tangling in his hair. His own were buried in hers, fingers luxuriating in the silky strands.

He pulled her down toward toward the blankets he had laid out earlier without letting her go, laying her on top of him. His mind worked furiously to remember everything he was experiencing right now—the slickness of her center rubbing against his hardness, her cool hands against his heated cheeks, and since she was on top and in charge, how she kissed, tongued, and suckled every part of him she could reach, making him arch against her and groan with pleasure. Her hands slid along his arms and clasped his, trailing ice in their wake, which melted immediately because of the warmth of their surroundings.

They separated for air. Revel felt her heart beating against his before Elsa braced herself with her forearms, looking down at him with a slight smile on her kiss-swollen lips. Her hair became a curtain separating them from the rest of the world. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her affectionate gaze, and imagining the impossible, filled with love.

For him.

Revel hoped that the saying about eyes being the windows of the soul were true. He had never said the words, but he loved her with all his heart and soul. With their current situation—her being the queen and him her captain of the guard—it seemed that using his body to show her just how much will have to suffice.

He squelched the hope that things would change. "Didn't you drag me all the way here so we could bathe in the hot spring?" he asked, tucking a lock of bright hair behind her ear before cradling her cheek with his hand. Leaning against his touch before rolling off him, Elsa stood up and extended a hand toward him to pull him to his feet. He grasped her forearm and she grunted a little as she did.

"I'm not getting fat, am I?" Revel asked mock-worryingly and was rewarded with a giggle from Elsa.

"No, you're not, though I suppose with your duties and our nighttime activities have something to do with you keeping fit," she joked back, poking the side she knew was ticklish for him. It was one of the things she had inadvertently discovered about him while in the throes of passion—with a slight flush of embarrassment, he recalled how unmanfully he had squeaked when her hand brushed against his ticklish spot, making her laugh.

Revel loved moments like that, when she let go of all her inhibitions and felt free to be just Elsa. She was a quiet and reserved woman who kept her emotions in check, but underneath the aloof façade of the queen, Elsa had a generous, mischievous spirit and a loving heart. Pride will have to be sacrificed if he were to see more of that from her. W_ell, tonight it's just Elsa and Revel. The queen and the captain are back in the castle,_ he thought as she tugged him toward the hot spring, walking backwards to keep her gaze trained on him. She jumped in first, still keeping him within sight, as if she couldn't bear to look away from him.

Revel supposed he was the same. Right here and now, nothing else mattered but Elsa.

"On three, we submerge," she instructed him, and he nodded, taking a breath to prepare himself. "One, two, three!"

The warm water closed over his head, but he kept his eyes open for her. He was concerned that only a little light made it underwater—who knew what lay beneath the surface? But the sureness in Elsa's eyes soon dispelled his worries. It was another facet of hers that he rarely saw, this genuine sureness. Of course as queen, she had to be confident all the time, but he had known her enough to figure out when she was pretending and when she was not. With a flash of insight he realized he only saw this genuine sureness when she was with the people she cared about the most and counted himself a fortunate man at that.

They gasped for breath as they broke the surface of the water. Revel ran his hands over his wet hair and rubbed his face to get rid of excess water, smiling at the sight of Elsa with her hair slicked back from her forehead. It made him appreciate the graceful planes and features of her face even more. But his favorite, clichéd as it was, were her eyes. Even before he had met her, his favorite color had always been blue, and hers were that particular cerulean shade that never failed to capture his attention. He loved how her wide and expressive her eyes were when it was just the two of them, alight with laughter when he said something that amused her, or how smoldering they could get when he urged her to climax. Hell, even sparking with anger, a part of him was still fascinated with her eyes.

Revel jumped when he felt her hands, still cool despite the almost-scalding warmth of the water, close around his shaft. Oh yes—he loved her hands too. For someone who had shunned physical contact most of her life, she was remarkably demonstrative and inventive with her hands when it was just the two of them, a fact that pleased him enormously.

"Cold?" Elsa asked archly with a squeeze. He opened his mouth to retort, but before he could she had backed him up against the boulder in the center of the pool, kissing him deeply as her hands worked him. One hand stroked up and down his member, thumbing the head teasingly, while the other palmed and kneaded his balls. The breath left his lungs as she did, and her eyes, which beheld him with tenderness earlier, had become sharp and feral underneath heavy lids. He couldn't help himself from biting back a curse when the tip of her thumb, with agonizing slowness, slid down to the underside of the head to circle it teasingly.

He hissed sharply. "I—fuck, Elsa, you—"

"Yes, fuck, Revel. That's what I want you to do to me," she whispered in his ear before tracing its whorls with the tip of her tongue. At those provocative words he knew he was leaking already, and he wasn't sure if he was glad or not that they were in the water. Because if she could make him do that with her hands...what could she accomplish with her mouth on him?

He didn't think it was possible, but the thought of him being at her mercy that way made him even harder.

Elsa surely felt it and quirked a brow at him. "What are you thinking?" she asked with a husky laugh, still stroking and kneading him. Revel struggled to form words, but one more stroke had wrung a groan from him, his knees buckling from the sheer bliss her touch brought him. He grabbed at her shoulders to support himself, his eyes glazed from what she had just done to him.

"You..." Revel swallowed and clenched his jaw in determination. Without warning he grabbed her thigh and hooked it around his hip, his other hand supporting the small of her back. Having caught her off-guard allowed him to ease himself within her slick warmth, making her gasp and moan as he began to move. Slowly at first, resting his forehead against hers as their breaths mingled.

"God, you feel so good," he muttered, closing his eyes so he could concentrate on how her heat surrounded him, how perfectly their bodies fit together. Letting instinct take over quickened his pace, and she matched his rhythm effortlessly.

"Revel," Elsa moaned as he shifted, pausing to press her against the gentle slope of the boulder. "Please...don't stop."

"I won't."

He hunched so he could tease her nipples and breasts with his tongue and mouth, regretting a bit that their position couldn't allow for his hands to roam all over her. _Pity,_ he thought, kissing his way up her neck to nibble her earlobe. She was so wonderfully responsive to his touch. Resuming his pace, he felt his climax build sharply and knew he was very close to completion. One look at Elsa's flushed face told him she was too, but he was determined that she would reach her peak first. _Just a little more,_ he told himself, gritting his teeth and furrowing his brows to keep himself in check. He kept up his relentless pace until he felt her spasm around him, giving him a split-second warning before she arched her back, her mouth open in a soundless scream.

The tension in him finally snapped, his orgasm ripping through him as he emptied himself in her with a shout, euphoria zinging through his veins. Revel experienced a moment of clarity that this—being with Elsa—was as close to heaven as he could get.

The intense burst of pleasure his orgasm brought him faded, bringing him back to earth. Blinking, he found himself draped over Elsa, who was stroking his hair idly as she waited for him to regain his senses. "I'll be...off you in a minute," he gasped, savoring her body against his. "Just let me catch my breath."

"Take your time. It feels nice, holding you like this," Elsa replied a little shyly. That made him raise his head from her chest and blink owlishly at her, his mind still sluggish. She laughed quietly and brushed the wet tendrils of hair from his forehead.

"Tired?"

"Yes. But very, very happy. Thank you," he whispered, leaning his forehead against hers. "I—" he stopped himself from saying those three words. "You were right, we needed this," he said instead, cursing himself inwardly for being such a coward when it came to admitting how he truly felt toward her. "It was good to be just Elsa and Revel for a night."

Elsa merely hummed in agreement before placing her hands on his cheeks. With slow deliberation, she kissed his forehead, his nose, then his lips, keeping the kiss chaste. Revel's eyes slid shut at the innocent contact—compared to the heated kisses they had shared earlier, this was perhaps the best he had received from her. No lust behind that kiss, just pure—

_Stop right there. _

He opened his eyes and broke away from her, making her blink up at him in mild surprise. "Don't you think we should get out of the water?" he asked instead.

Revel didn't miss the flicker of disappointment in her eyes before she nodded. "Yes, you're right. We're getting rather pruny," she answered, holding her hands up and grimacing at the wrinkles.

With that the two got out of the hot spring and lay by the fire to dry themselves off. "Do you want to spend the night here, or do we go back to the castle once we're dry?" Revel asked, spooning behind Elsa and stretching his arm out for her to use as a pillow.

"Let's stay here for a few hours," she answered around a yawn. "It's your day off tomorrow, isn't it? We can be just Elsa and Revel for a little while longer."

"Yes, let's do that," Revel agreed, pulling her closer to him. "I'll wake you up."

Her only response was a light snore, making him chuckle and decide to stay awake to watch over her.

_Sleep well, Elsa. _


	9. Chamber

Elsa needed to clear her head.

The Duke of Weselton (Weaseltown, as Elsa and Anna called him), was being a pompous ass. He had sent her a letter demanding to resume trade with Arendelle, because otherwise, "there will be consequences," he wrote ominously.

_You would not want Arendelle's coast to be plagued by smugglers now, would you? I had heard about the capture of Weseltonian smugglers in Arendelle, and I am TRULY sorry about it. I am doing what I can to curb such activities, but you KNOW that the best way to prevent future instances such as that would be to TRADE with Weselton again. Do let me know what your answer is as soon as possible._

_The nerve of that...old...asshole!_ Elsa fumed, resisting the urge to wad up the duke's letter and chuck it to the fireplace. She hated how she could practically hear that ancient windbag's voice as she read the letter. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she flicked her wrist to dispel the ice that started creeping across her desk. She was boggled at the old man's audacity to patronize her that way—while she didn't know for sure if the former physician Malkof had acted on the duke's orders, the fact remained that Weselton had already tried twice to get her killed. Thankfully, the grandfather clock chiming the hour had snapped her out of her angry mood, prompting her to remember her nightly rendezvous with Revel.

As usual, the thought of him brought a slight smile on the queen's face, clearing away lines of worry. If he were here with her right now, he would have placed a fingertip between her brows to smooth the frown away with his characteristic teasing grin. "You're working too hard," he'd say before doing something silly to make her smile. One time it had been aping one of her advisors; another was a tickle fight that led to something that involved less clothing—a lot less.

_Speaking of which, I'd better head on up to my room,_ Elsa thought, gathering up the papers strewn about to stack them neatly on her desk. She debated whether or not to bring up some work to her room, but thought against it. Today had been a really long, exhausting day that she did not even have time to eat, and the duke's letter was the straw that broke the camel's back for her.

_I wonder what Revel would say to that,_ she mused as she walked briskly toward her suite, her heartbeat picking up slightly at the thought of him. She had come across Anna along the way to her suite, and together the sisters headed to their respective rooms arm in arm, with Anna nattering on about possible baby names and Elsa nodding patiently. They bid each other good night when they reached the top of the stairs leading to their rooms. Opening her door, she headed straight to her vanity table as she undid her braid. A flash of white caught her eye as she neared, which turned out to be a neatly folded note from Revel.

_Let's change things up a bit tonight. Meet me at the training chamber at exactly 10:00 PM—just come in, I'll leave it unlocked. And please wear the dress you wore at the Yule Ball. But there's no need for you to primp too much. You're already beautiful just the way you are. Bring your appetite. – R._

Elsa couldn't help but raise an intrigued eyebrow. "You are such a charmer. What are you up to, Revel?" she murmured with a fond smile and a shake of her head, heading to her closet to rummage for the dress he had requested her to wear. She had a sneaking suspicion what his plans were but decided not to ruminate on it much, wanting to be surprised. Finding the dress, she pulled it out of her closet and carefully laid it out on her bed. She glanced at the clock sitting on her small bedside table to check the time.

_An hour and a half to get ready._

It was a good thing Gerda knew her nighttime habits by now. On stressful days like this, the service matron knew that Elsa liked soaking her cares away with a warm bath. Changing out of her clothes and into a robe, Elsa headed to the bathroom and found her tub filled with warm water already. _Bless you, Gerda,_ she sighed inwardly as she lowered herself into the tub. She shampooed her hair and scrubbed her skin with rose-scented soap, hurrying a bit so she would have enough time to look nice and make her way to Revel's training chamber.

The hour and a half passed quickly, and she found herself standing before the heavy wood and metal-studded door of Revel's training chamber, her hand poised over it to knock before she remembered he left it unlocked. Smoothing her skirt to wipe her slightly sweaty hands and hitching the strap of the satchel that carried a change of clothes higher on her shoulder, she pushed the door open, wondering what he had up his sleeve.

Her eyebrows arched in surprise as she took in her surroundings. The room was lit up with mildly scented candles all over, giving the normally austere chamber a softer glow all around it. A little off the side was a small table for two with plates laid out. There was another table that had a wooden box resting atop its surface.

"Forgive me if the setup's a bit unusual. We have limited options," Revel said, stepping out of the shadows from her right.

"I—no! This is…this wonderful." Elsa smiled broadly, walking toward him quickly. She grasped his hands and squeezed them, looking up at him with her heart in her eyes. He wore what he did during the Yule Ball, and she couldn't help but stare at how handsome he looked in the candlelight. She didn't bother hiding how moved she was that he took this much trouble for a romantic candlelit dinner for the two of them. How did he know that this was one of her silly daydreams as a little girl? "How—why did you…?" she gestured vaguely around her.

Revel chuckled softly, rubbing his thumbs over the back of her hands before raising her right one up to brush a kiss over the knuckles. She noticed that he always found some way to touch her hands, a part of her that she had always been careful with around other people. She realized with a jolt that with him, she could be free with her hands. Free to touch and caress him, and he relished it whenever she did.

"I may have come across some information that gave me this idea. And I did this for two reasons: one," he removed her cloak and hung it on the peg near the door. "To show you how much I appreciated that little adventure we had at the spring three days ago. And two," he took her satchel from her and slung it on his shoulder, "I think I like having more moments as just Elsa and Revel. I'm sorry I'm not as adventurous as you, though—if I were, I'd spirit you away on a schooner like what you wanted, and we'll do nothing but sail the coast and make love underneath the stars," he continued with a faint half-smile.

Elsa smirked, but she was unable to keep the blush from rising to her cheeks. "Would you?"

The little smile Revel wore grew to a wolfish grin at her playfully-spoken challenge. "You know I would," he murmured huskily. "Anyway, I hope you brought your appetite. I—"

He was interrupted by Elsa's stomach complaining loudly, as if to confirm that she had indeed done so. "Well, that settles it," he declared, laughing as she turned into a shade of brilliant red. "Shall we eat, then?"

_I hate being so pale,_ she grumbled inwardly, following Revel to the table and sitting down on the chair he pulled out for her.

"Wait here, I'll go get our first and only course." He bent down to kiss her cheek gently before disappearing into his living quarters to retrieve their meal and deposit her things there. Elsa touched the spot his lips pressed against her skin, remembering how it was also in this training chamber that he first did that. _After the snowball fight,_ she recollected, glancing at the middle of the room. She became gradually aware that her thumb was rubbing the back of her right hand, which made her remember how Revel first kissed her there and forced her to acknowledge that her feelings for him were more than just professional friendship.

_How far we've gone. From captain and queen, instructor and student, friends, then lovers. I wonder…is there any hope for us to be truly together?_ she mused, feeling a twinge of sadness that made her chest ache. She refused to believe that being secret lovers was the end of the road for them—there has to be something she could do for them to be together. It had been less than a year since they had first started their relationship, but walking the path of life without him by her side was unfathomable now.

Elsa schooled her features into a pleasant expression when she saw Revel emerge from his room carrying an enormous tray. With a flourish he laid out her meal before her—a fillet of venison drenched in rich gravy, potatoes and greens on the side. "Oh, that smells wonderful. Did you cook this?" she asked with an appreciative sniff.

"Of course," he answered, taking his seat across her. "Do you remember that day I tried to teach you how to cook?" He paused, waiting for her to answer as she narrowed her eyes in thought. "We had venison, but I never did get to finish teaching you because I decided learning you was much more…interesting," he said, pitching his voice low as his eyes grew hooded and intense. Elsa found herself unable to tear her eyes away from his knowing, piercing green gaze.

"Ah, yes, I remember now," Elsa nodded, a light blush staining her cheeks. It was the night after their first explosive encounter in the library. She cleared her throat, suddenly feeling shy around him. True, they had been quite intimate for some time now, but tonight she felt like a girl at her first dance, with the handsome prince's attention solely fixed on her.

_Well, Revel isn't a prince, but he certainly looks like one tonight,_ she thought, observing him over the rim of her snifter as she sipped the brandy Revel poured for her. "Is this the Metaxa I gave you for Christmas?" she asked, blinking her slightly watery eyes as the fiery liquor traced a path down her throat and settled warmly into her stomach.

"Yes. I hope you don't mind. I know brandy isn't typically paired with a meal, but I thought that tonight is special, after all," Revel replied, sipping his brandy as well.

Elsa guessed it had taken them an hour and a half to finish their meal, which was punctuated by stories, jokes, and flirting in between bites. She let her feminine vanity preen from his attention, and she returned the favor in full measure by complimenting and touching him constantly. Seeing him smile or laugh at what she said made her strive to do it more as the night wore on. Before the accident and besides Anna, she couldn't remember the last time she made someone laugh. People were always serious and respectful around her, and of course the manners that had been drilled into her since childhood demanded that she be the same toward them.

_Perhaps to other people this is strange,_ she reflected as Revel cleared their plates away. _But having dinner in a training chamber will be one of the most memorable nights for me. Maybe because I feel free here._

The realization made her sweep her gaze about the chamber, reliving the moments that led to this moment. The spot where he set up the punching bag during her first lesson with him. The rafters where she froze his pants. Where he broke the ice arrow and she gained a better understanding of her powers. Where he had to stand very close and touch her to demonstrate how to throw a shotput and made her very aware how attractive he was. The snowball fight that led to him kissing her cheek.

_Of course, there's where I lost control and tried to kill him,_ she thought ruefully, glancing at where it happened, putting a damper on her good cheer and reminded once more that she should never lose control.

"Why so sad, beautiful lady?" Revel's soft voice broke through her darkening mood, looking down at her with concern. He reached for her hand and pulled her to her feet, leading her to the center of the room.

Elsa smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "I was thinking about how much time we spent here," she answered him. "And that spot," she darted a glance to her left, "was where I lost control and tried to kill you."

"You know it wasn't your fault, right?"

She bowed her head and sighed. "Yes, I know. But I keep remembering it anyway, which never fails to put me in a bad mood."

"Well then, I suppose I'll have to do something about that." He let go and walked to the table where the wooden box rested. She watched him open the box and fiddle with it before going back to her. Sketching a graceful bow, he held out a hand to her and smiled invitingly. "May I have this dance?" he asked.

The first slow, silvery notes of a waltz filled her ears, making her realize that the thing he had fiddled with was a music box. She stared at his outstretched hand, her mind going blank for a second before slowly reaching out to place her hand in his. She let out a small squeak of surprise when he pulled her close, his hand just below her left shoulder blade, her other hand automatically grabbing at his shoulder for support.

"Ready?" he whispered. Elsa looked up at him and smiled, nodding.

The tempo picked up as they started to dance. At the back of her mind she knew he wouldn't let her stumble, so she gave in to the urge to close her eyes to let him guide her through the first steps of the waltz. It was nothing fancy like the five-step waltz they had first danced—just a simple three-step one that had him sweeping her in circles around the space he had cleared. The tempo was not as fast as the five-step waltz—the moderate pace was actually soothing for Elsa, letting her enjoy the companionable silence she and Revel shared as they moved with the music.

As Revel had mentioned earlier, tonight's setup had its limitations. As sweet as the music box's simple melody had sounded, it was also shorter than the usual waltz. The music slowly ground to a halt as Revel twirled her away from him, bringing her close with her back to his chest as the music stopped, his arm wrapped around her waist.

"What are you thinking?" he asked, warm puffs of his breath tickling her ear and making her shiver. She bit her lip before she answered him.

"Just enjoying myself."

His arms tightened around her before he let her go. "Really?" His voice held a tinge of uncertainty. "I mean…the music box wasn't that much, and—"

Elsa placed a finger over Revel's lips. "Did you talk to Anna about this?" she asked, remembering what he said about how he got this idea for dinner and dancing. It was one of the silly things they had giggled about as little girls, a night of dinner and dancing with their respective Prince Charmings. _Funny how things turned out—Anna's prince turned out to be an ice harvester, and mine was a guard captain. His namesake was even the prince I had dreamed about back then,_ she thought with amusement as Revel blinked and tried to formulate a response. She raised an eyebrow at him. "I'll consider your silence as a yes, then."

Revel shrugged and smiled. "She told me about this prince you fancied when you were younger, and I must say, I got jealous."

"I must fancy men with your name, then. He was Prince Revel of Asham…I was seven years old, he was twelve." She feigned a wistful look on her face and sighed exaggeratingly, intending to tease him. But she was surprised to see him shoot her a startled glance before he covered it up with a smile.

"That's…that's a funny coincidence," he said, licking his lips and stepping away from her. "Well. It's close to midnight, milady. As much as I do not want this magical night to end, we will need our sleep so we can fulfill our roles when the sun rises, yes?"

Elsa stared at him with a niggling feeling he was hiding something from her. "Revel. Are you alright?" she pressed, placing a hand on his shoulder. He smiled at her reassuringly, but she wasn't sure if it reached his eyes.

"Yes, Elsa, I'm fine," he said gently, kissing the back of her hand. "Thank you for indulging me tonight." He paused and gestured with his head toward his quarters. "Why don't you prepare for bed while I clean up here?"

She nodded and started toward his quarters, unable to shake the nagging feeling he was dodging her question. _I did promise not to pry too much,_ she thought, glancing back at him as he snuffed out the candles, gradually plunging the training chambers in darkness.

_What secrets are you hiding, Revel? And when will you trust me enough to keep them as well?_


	10. Letters

_My dear Elsa,_

_It has only been a week since I left you, and every minute away from your side feels like an hour, every hour a day, and every day a month, every week a year…_

_Ha, I can see you raising an eyebrow at me with your lips pursed in that "I am not impressed" expression you do so well whenever I tease you. You never were one for exaggeration and ostentatious displays, which I think I should remedy once I get back—yes, I can see you narrowing your eyes at me now. That makes me even more determined for you to get used to it._

_What? I am an affectionate man, as you have seen for yourself when it was just the two of us. You have no idea how difficult it was to keep my hands off you back then when we are in the same room during the day, when we are attending to our respective duties and responsibilities. Especially when you lower your head a bit with that small frown creasing your brow as you deliberate on possible outcomes and decisions._

_Even before we became lovers, I already admired your sharp intellect and your capacity for leadership. You have a way of getting straight to the matter at hand to arrive at a well-thought decision that would benefit your people. Your heart and mind are as one when it came to your people's benefit, and your hard work has paid off. When I did my patrols around town I sometimes overheard people saying how lucky they are living under your rule._

_I count myself a lucky man indeed because you rule me completely, body and soul._

_Remember when we first met? Now that the truth is out, I am relieved I can finally speak to you about our shared past. After you led the great chocolate raid of your cellar and escaping from possible captivity in Gerda's hands, I remember thinking you have the potential to become Arendelle's greatest queen. And I was right._

_I served you as your Captain of the Guard because I believed in you. I realize now that I worked hard to achieve that position because I wanted to become a person you could rely on. I had no idea I would fall in love with you, and that you would return my love in equal—or even greater measure, because you have fought hard and suffered much for us to be together—but even without that I still would have devoted my life to you. Simply because you are a good person, and a ruler who deserved her people's loyalty._

_I may have been born a prince of Asham, but I am an Arendellian at heart._

_I tell you this because I've seen you several times in the past staring up at your parents' portrait in the great hall. You must have thought you were alone, because you would not have allowed anyone to see the doubt etched so clearly on your face. I wanted to make myself known back then and tell you that you were doing your parents proud, but I suppose you would have taken it then as an intrusion. So I am telling you now—better late than never, yes?_

_I wish to pour everything out to you, but you know how I am with seasickness—I told you about it while we ate the chocolate in the cellar, remember? If you cannot, I will gladly refresh your memory when I get back._

_To think I wanted to spirit you away on a schooner and sail the coasts and fjords of Arendelle. When I told you that I hoped I had outgrown my seasickness. Would you be amenable to spend a week up north instead, by the lake? Perhaps you could also teach me how to skate if that does come to pass—I would like to learn, so that I may skate with you in winter._

_Anyway, I do not wish for my dinner to decorate my letter to you, and so I hastily close this out by saying you are in my thoughts, always._

_I love you, Elsa._

_Yours, now and forever,_

_Revel_

* * *

Elsa reread Revel's letter for the fifth time, savoring each word and hearing them spoken in her head as if he were right beside her. To say that she missed him terribly was too mild to describe the fierce longing she felt for him. She had grown too used to his presence that during the first month he was away she almost expected him to jump out of the shadows of that alcove where they...had a brief encounter during that fateful Spring Trade Summit every time she passed by it.

_That alcove is more than just a spot of a past tryst,_ she thought, sifting through her memories as she leaned back on her chair and closed her eyes. She was in her study when the letter from Revel arrived, several months after he left.

_That statue in the alcove had witnessed our first meeting as children, then our next one when I was fifteen and he a new guard, and then...that. I just hope my ancestor isn't spinning in her grave over what she had witnessed me and Revel do when we grew up,_ Elsa mused, shaking her head in wry amusement.

She wondered if she should pen a letter to respond. It took that long for his letter to arrive—what if he missed her response?

"Well, can't hurt to try. If—no, when he comes back and he doesn't get the letter, I'll just tell him what I wrote," she said, reaching toward her drawer to get a fresh sheet of paper. Elsa tried not to think of the 'if' she had uttered earlier.

_He will come back. He has to. But it's been so long. What if..._

Elsa took a deep breath to compose herself. "Stop it," she muttered, taking an inkwell from the drawer as well. She dipped the tip of her quill into the ink and wrote "Dear Revel" before realizing she couldn't think of a thing to say.

_I...damn, this is hard. You have been writing too many letters couched in diplomatic language that writing from the heart is an alien concept to you._ She sighed and scratched the back of her left ear, a habit Revel told her she did when she was annoyed with something and her guard was down.

She eyed the stack of papers on her left, pursing her lips as deliberated whether or not to plow through them first before writing to Revel. A gentle breeze coming from her open window ruffled her hair, prompting her to look to the right and see it was a beautiful sunny day.

Elsa decided she had been cooped up in her study for far too long it that was driving her a little stir-crazy.

"Maybe a brisk walk would help clear my head," she said aloud. "I'll even ask Anna to come along with me. I'm sure she and the twins will appreciate the outing." Nodding resolutely, she placed her palms on her desk and started to stand when the brand on her shoulder flared to life, causing her to clutch at it with alarm.

"What the—" Elsa sputtered before her eyes widened. The brand pulsed urgently underneath her fingers, and with each pulse one thought reverberated through her mind.

_He's here._

Her heart soared that she gasped and grew dizzy from the sudden euphoria. But such was Elsa's need to see her beloved again that nothing else mattered. She ignored Gerda and Kai calling after her as she tore out of her study, running as if she had wings on her feet.

With each step, Elsa knew for certain that once they were together again, she would never, ever let him go.

* * *

**Note:** _And so ends Snippets. __Again, I would like to thank JEGlass for letting me write this. Without FTFTIN, I never would have written something I would be completely satisfied with. It's a huge thing for me since I have never finished a project outside of work. This means so much to me, so thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you also to andforever-211 for being the first to review Snippets, as well as encouraging me to write more of it. The three J's: jessica988, jenniferjuni-per, and jupiter235. sardinecake, miss anly, and hogwarts-is-frozen. Um... *flails* I'm so sorry if I forgot anyone! If I did, you know who you are, and that you have my deepest and sincerest gratitude._


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